What's Past is Now Present
by CTI-Jenn
Summary: An incident on her day off puts a friend in danger and causes Jules to face an old boyfriend she'd rather not ever see again.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Notes: When I wrote the post eps for "Sons of the Father" I made mention of a former boyfriend of Jules whom Ed not so affectionately called Barry the Bastard. Many people asked for the full story on what had happened and I said that as soon as Jules told me the story, I would write it. Well, despite the bad timing of already being in the middle of other stories, she decided it the perfect time to finally reveal that bit of history to me. So, here is the story that developed as a result. You'll get the Jules/Barry back story in upcoming chapters. I hope you enjoy it.

Continuity: This takes place after "Sons of the Father" and before "We Take Care of Our Own."

Disclaimer: The show Flashpoint and its characters were created by Mark Ellis and Stephanie Morgenstern and belong to them and the networks who air the episodes. Since the show has ended, our only way of getting new Flashpoint is through fan fiction. This story is my attempt to help fill the void, and the only profit I make is the warm fuzzy feeling reviews give me. Anything that does not come directly from the show is my own creation and should not be used without my permission.

What's Past is Now Present

It was a grainy video, obviously not professional grade quality. It showed a dark night, made even darker by the lack of artificial illumination such as street lights. There were no people around except for a single person walking obliviously down the sidewalk. It was a female with long dark hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. Her hands were stuffed in the pockets of her hoodie and the dangling strings from the headphones of an MP3 player were clearly visible. Her head was lowered and it was obvious she wasn't paying any attention to her surroundings.

As the petite brunette passed an even darker alleyway, a blonde man fell into step behind her, unnoticed by the woman he was following. She made her way to a parked car and only after she was standing there did she begin to fumble through her rather large purse. The keys she was apparently looking for must have made their way to the very bottom of her bag eluding themselves from her search.

The blonde man who had been following her suddenly surged forward. Before the woman could do anything, he'd grabbed her from behind pinning her arms to her side. He shoved her helplessly against the car she been waiting to get into. His intent was clear as the video went dark. As the screen went dark, gasps filled the room followed by a murmuring of voices.

Jules Callaghan glanced at the man standing next to her against the wall as the effect of the video truly hit home with the women gathered in front of the TV. She nodded to him and he turned on the lights bathing the gym once more in light. Jules pushed off from where she'd been leaning against the wall and stood in front of the assembled group. It was immediately obvious she was the woman from the video.

"The scene you just watched was staged. I wasn't hurt and I wasn't attacked but every day other women are not so fortunate. They are beaten, raped, and sometimes even killed. The statistics are scary and all too real. Too often women hear about these attacks and think about taking a self defense class. Then they talk themselves out of it thinking they would just never be able to actually fight back against a stronger attacker, or else they remember being told as little girls that a lady doesn't get into fights. So the decision to take that self defense class is never followed through. The truth is the best self defense you can give yourself doesn't require you to lay a finger on a would-be attacker. The truth is I made myself a victim in this video long before the guy ever laid a finger on me. Most of the time, rapists are looking for an easy victim and your best defense is not looking like one. The first part of this class is going to be all about teaching you how to do just that."

The older, white-haired man who'd been standing with her against the wall joined her. A red soft silk cap was perched on top of his snowy white hair. "Sometimes, no matter how careful you are, however, the worst happens. The second part of this class is going to be about how to defend yourself if that should happen. It's not going to be pretty and it's not going to be ladylike but if someone is determined to hurt you, the last thing you need to worry about is being ladylike. You are going to practice these moves today just like your life was truly in danger. I'll be playing the part of the attacker and before you start thinking, 'I could never hurt a sweet old man,' don't worry, I'm not that sweet and I'm not that old and I'll be wearing protective gear so I'll be fine."

Using the tape as a demonstration, Jules had the women in the class point out what mistakes they thought she'd made. While she was impressed they seemed to notice all the things she did wrong, they were also quick to admit they never really gave much thought to doing the exact same things they were saying led to the attack. She pointed out tips that could help save their lives in the future.

She finished that portion of the class and before they moved on to the physical aspect of self defense, she opened the floor to questions. A girl who couldn't be long out of teen years raised her hand first. "Wouldn't it be better to just carry pepper spray? One squirt of it and you wouldn't have to worry about your attacker."

"Except it's illegal to carry pepper spray if you aren't law enforcement." Jules quickly informed the group. "Besides, pepper spray isn't always effective. If an attacker is strung out on drugs, he might not feel the effects or worse, you could accidentally spray yourself and while you were incapacitated give your attacker more of a chance to hurt you. I know it's easy sometimes to watch movies and think carrying a weapon makes you safe but, aside from the fact that most of what you see on the screen is illegal here, those weapons have a greater chance of making you a victim. The moves Al and I are going to teach you today are legal and effective."

Once again, the older man interjected. "Most of you know me, know I used to do my fair share of boxing. You might be thinking it's an unfair match up putting this little scrap of a girl up against a big ole fellow like me. And you'd be right, sort of. It's unfair all right, unfair to me. You pay attention to the moves she shows you, practice them good and I'd hate to be the man who tried to cross you. Seeing as how I'm going to be the man crossing you today, it's not gonna be a good day to be me."

The next couple of hours passed quickly. As an SRU officer, Jules Callaghan was accustomed to practicing hand-to-hand combat. It was almost a daily training exercise if not actual experience. The opportunity for teaching others life saving maneuvers didn't come around as often. In fact, if it wasn't for the monthly class she helped Al Taggert teach at the gym he so proudly owned, she might not ever get the chance. It was part of the reason she willingly gave up an off-duty Saturday once a month but it wasn't the main reason.

The truth was, she would agree to almost anything Al Taggert asked of her. He might not have been her first friend years ago when she first came to Toronto intent on making it into the cool pants at SRU but outside her friends on Team One, he was the most important one. She owed him so much, although he would deny ever doing anything special.

All too soon, the class was over. The ladies expressed their thanks and determination to never be a victim before leaving the gym. Once it was just the two of them, Al started to shed the heavily padded suit that protected him against the jabs and kicks he'd endured at the hands - and feet - of not only the women who had signed up to take the class but Jules as well. As soon as the gear was on the floor, his hand reached in his back pocket for his cap that he'd stuck there while sparring. He glanced over at the young woman he loved like a daughter. "Thanks again for the help. I don't think these classes would be nearly as successful if I didn't have you leading them."

Jules wiped her forehead with a hand towel and looked over at him. "You don't give yourself enough credit. I don't know anyone else who would offer a free self defense course any more, let alone one a month. You give so much back to this area and never ask anything in return. I'm proud to be able to help you with it."

"Sam doesn't mind you giving up a Saturday you both have off to help me out? I'm sure you two could have much better plans together. Or better yet, he could have helped us out like he did for the video and come today to play the attacker again. Would have been a lot easier on this old bones." Al commented as he tipped an open bottle of water to his lips.

Jules snorted. "Like you would let him have all the fun. Besides, it's not like we're joined at the hip or anything. We don't have to spend every minute together. Besides, he already had plans for today. Some of his buddies that he hasn't seen in a while called him and asked him to join them for a hockey game - playing not watching. I swear he's been like a kid at Christmas since he got the invite."

"So when is that fellow gonna get smart and ask you to marry him? I thought fer sure when the two of you got the green light to date, a proposal was coming sooner rather than later." Al pressed, putting the protective gear he'd been wearing away.

Rolling her eyes, Jules reached over and pulled his cap lower over his eyes good naturedly. It wasn't a new question by any means. Sometimes she thought Al Taggert worried more about her love life than her own father did. She could certainly accept his constant prying better than she would have had it come from her father. "What's your hurry, old man? He's happy; I'm happy; we're happy; why can't we just enjoy things?"

She didn't add that she and Sam both had secret fears that command wouldn't be as accepting about having married co-workers on the same team as ones that were just dating. Neither wanted to rock the boat until they had a little more time to prove they could handle maintaining both a professional and personal relationship.

"I'm not getting any younger, Sassafras; before I die, I'd like to see what beautiful babies the two of you will create. Closest I'll probably ever get to grandkids." He readjusted his cap, grinning at her unabashedly.

He sounded so bitter and hurt and so un-Al like that Jules reached over and squeezed his arm. Sometimes it was easy to forget that she'd met Al through his son Barry. The time she'd spent dating Barry was an experience she didn't like to dwell on or to even think about what happened to end things between them. Hearing Al make such comments brought it all back to the forefront of her mind and reminded her that she was at least partially responsible for driving what seemed to be a permanent wedge between father and son. "Have you talked to Barry lately?"

He muttered a few choice words under his breath before replying. "I said everything I had to say to him years ago. That's not going to change until he changes and that's not going to happen. I'm proud of so many things in my life but that no account son of mine is my worst failure. I don't even like talking about him. Especially not when I could be talking about you. Did you see the flyer on the bulletin board?"

Jules frowned, both from hearing him put his fathering skills down and from his question. "Al, don't…"

"Sass, I know everything that happened left a bad taste in your mouth for all of it. But, it's been years and I know ding dang well you still got it in you. Don't let what that shit for brains did continue to rule your life. He ain't worth it. Besides, proceeds for this event are going to TEMA." He let that tidbit dangle enticingly.

"And I think that's great." Jules assured him. "You know I'm all for anything that helps out TEMA and I'm willing to pitch in and help. I'll help sell tickets, take up tickets, set up, clean up, hell, I'll even bake cookies for it if you want me to. Just don't ask me to do something you know I can't."

"You know I wouldn't." Al sighed and covered the hand she had on his arm with his own. "I just don't think this is something you can't do. Just think about it, okay? That's all I ask. I bet Sam would get a kick out of seeing you open up a can or two of whoopass."

"Sam has seen me open more than a few of those cans, thank you very much. Still, he doesn't know anything about what happened and I'm not too keen on having to explain it to him." Jules reminded him. Though she would do almost anything Al asked of her, this was the one thing she couldn't and wouldn't do for him. She'd made a promise to herself in the aftermath of Barry and doing what Al wanted her to do would mean going back on that vow. She couldn't reopen those old wounds, not for Al and not for TEMA. She hoped he understood and didn't think badly of her for it. "I'm going to take a quick shower before that pizza arrives."

Now it was Al who snorted. "Who said anything about pizza?"

It was a familiar joke between them because he always bought pizza after one of these classes, the only type of "thank you" he knew she would be willing to accept. Jules gave his arm one more squeeze before retrieving her gym bad and disappearing down the hall to the locker room. Al watched her until she was out of sight and then shook his head. "Sorry, Sassafras. Sam knows all about what my bastard of a son did to you. And I don't regret telling him one bit."

- FP - FP - FP -

In the quiet and privacy of her own home, Jules could spend upwards to an hour in the shower. There was something about standing under the hot spray, allowing the water to wash away any lingering stress the day had left with her. Even better if she could convince Sam into joining her.

Taking a shower in a locker room, whether it was at headquarters or here at the gym, was a different story. Even if she was the only one present, Jules felt too exposed to fully enjoy a shower the way she could at home. It wasn't anything she could really put her finger on or explain, but something even years of using a community based shower hadn't changed. Showers both at work and at the gym were quick and efficient. So ten minutes after leaving Al, Jules had toweled off and was slipping into jeans and a white tank top. Her damp hair hung loosely to her shoulders as she reached into her bag for a blouse to put on over the tank top.

_Pop. Pop. Pop._

There were a few sounds that Jules Callaghan could identify without a second thought just upon the hearing of them. She could tell she was safely hooked onto the railing of a building without looking just by the tell-tale click of the carabiner. In a room full of people talking loudly, she could pick out Sam Braddock's location just from his whisper. The sound she probably knew the absolute best, however, was the sound of a gun being fired. Without a doubt, the three pops she'd just heard had come from a gun, probably a small caliber handgun.

She reached back into her gym bag wishing she was reaching for the reassuring grip of her Glock. Her service revolver was safely locked away in the gun cage at headquarters, however. Instead her fingers closed around her cell phone as she drew it out of her bag. She dialed the direct line to the SRU dispatch, trying to remember who was currently working. Sidney answered on the second ring.

"_SRU."_

"Sidney, it's Jules. Shots fired at Taggert's Gym." She rattled off the address. "I don't have eyes in yet so I don't know how many suspects we're dealing with or if anyone's been hurt."

"_Team Three gear up, hot call." _As Sidney relayed the information to the on-shift team, Jules said a silent prayer of thanks. If she couldn't have Team One providing her back up for whatever was going on, then Team Three was her substitute of choice. "_Jules, is your position secure?"_

Jules chewed on her bottom lip. The answer should be an unquestionable yes. No further shots had been fired, and she had no idea if the subjects were even still in the gym. Al however surely was and she couldn't stay hidden in the locker room when he might be injured or worse. That meant she couldn't stay where she was. "Sidney, I'll stay on the line but I've got to check things out. Someone might be injured."

"_Jules?_" Donna Sabine-Gerald came over the phone, obviously having had Sidney patch her into the call. _"We're ten minutes no more than twenty from your location. If your position is secure, hold there until we arrive. You don't have a weapon, and you won't do anyone any good if you get hurt yourself."_

Ten to twenty minutes wasn't a bad response time unless you were laying there bleeding out from gun shot wounds. While her own memory of being shot on that rooftop were and probably would always be fuzzy, she knew from what Sam had said that the delay in getting help to her in the aftermath were the worst moments of his life. She was trying to keep calm and rational, to think like the SRU constable she was, but it was hard not knowing if Al was okay. Only the thought that Sam could be injured would worry her more. So, even though she knew what Donna was telling her was the right thing to do according to procedure, she had to follow her heart. "Sorry, I can't do that. I'll give you a report when I know what's going on."

"_Jules…"_ The protests Donna was more than likely about to give went unheard as Jules tucked her phone into the waistband of her jeans without terminating the call. She might not have her gun but she did have her hands and had just spent a whole morning showing women how to use them as effective weapons. She needed them free in case it came to that. She eased the door to the locker room open and peered out. It was eerily quiet given the gunfire from moments earlier.

The gym, which usually catered more to the boxing crowd rather than serious weight lifters or exercise buffs, was an open design. There weren't many places for a gun-wielding subject to hide which was good as Jules eased to the end of the corridor where the locker rooms were situated. She couldn't see any threats in the gym itself but she also didn't see Al. The only other place to look was Al's office which was all the way over on the other side of the gym.

There was no way she could reach the office without crossing the gym floor but that would mean exposing herself to anyone who might be watching. It went against all her training but she didn't have a choice. She'd take the risk if it meant being able to check on Al. Ducking low to give herself the best coverage from anyone glancing out the big window at the office, Jules quietly made her way across the open floor toward the door to the office. Flattening herself against the wall, she once more wished she had her Glock or, even better, her M4. Glancing inside, she didn't see anyone, not even Al.

She frowned. She knew Al wouldn't have left without checking on her - at least not willingly. Had he been kidnapped? Why? Sure, the gym wasn't in the best part of town but Al had a great report with everyone in the neighborhood. His giving, easy-going nature made him a favorite with old and young alike. She was pretty sure those living in the area would do anything for him just as he would them.

She reached for the phone she'd tucked into her waistband. "Donna? The scene appears clear…" She was about to report Al missing when she caught sight of his signature red cap lying on the floor behind the desk. Then she heard a moan coming from the same direction. Without a second thought, she dropped her cell phone, ignoring the clattering sound as it hit the concrete floor. She didn't know if it was still in one piece or if her contact with Team Three had been cut off. All she knew was that she had to get to Al.

He was lying face down on the floor, a pool of blood already forming beneath him. Jules dropped to her knees and carefully turned him over. Though the sight of the older man she cared so much for bleeding and mostly unconscious turned her stomach and made her want to vomit, the professional part of her was able to stay detached and focus. Still, she wanted to scream and cry and plead with him to be okay, especially as she noticed that he had what looked like at least three gunshot wounds. That meant every shot she'd heard while in the locker room had hit him. Two were in the chest and one in the shoulder. The chest wounds were the most serious and she knew he was in danger of bleeding out if she didn't do something quickly.

She removed the shirt she'd put on over her tank top and pressed it against his chest, holding pressure against the two wounds. "Al, stay with me. Don't you dare die on me, Old Man."

A moan was the only response she got but his eyes fluttered at the sound of her voice. She wasn't sure if her phone was still working or if Donna would be able to hear her but she had to try. She raised her voice, hoping the dropped cell phone was still functioning and still connected to Team Three. "Donna, man down. We need EMS right now."

"Sass?"

Her heart skipped a beat in relief at his whispered use of his pet name for her. His eyes were still closed and his face held a grayish tinge but hearing him speak even just one word was reassuring. She wanted to put a hand to his cheek to reassure him as well but didn't dare let go of the pressure she had on her makeshift bandage that was stemming the blood.

"Shh, take it easy, Al. Help will be here soon. Save your strength." Even as she was urging him not to talk, the officer in her wanted to question him about who had done this. There was no sign of a struggle as far as she could see. As far as it seemed, whoever had come in had done so, shot him three times, and then left just as quickly. It didn't make sense. There was nothing to indicate signs of a robbery- not that a gym like Al's would be a prime target for robbery anyway- gone bad. Al had no enemies; he loved everyone and everyone loved him in return. The only person she'd ever known him to have cross words with was his son Barry and that had been because of his treatment of her. While her feelings toward the man she'd foolishly dated years earlier were nothing but bitter, she didn't think even he was capable of doing something like this.

"Sass?" Al was too stubborn to listen to her pleas to remain quiet. Perhaps that was why they'd always gotten along so great. "You 'kay?"

An unbidden tear rolled down her cheek, but she didn't even bothered to wipe it away. Leave it to Al to be worried about her when he was the one lying there bleeding to death. How long had it been since she'd made the call? Even though she knew it hadn't even been the ten minutes Donna had said was the quickest they'd be there, she wanted Team Three to burst in the door right then. It wasn't like she felt like they were still in danger; the subjects who had shot Al were apparently long gone. However, the team's arrival would mean that EMS could help him.

"I'm fine, Al. It's okay. Help is on its way. We'll get you to the hospital and the docs will fix you up good as new. Just stay with me, okay?"

Al groaned weakly. His breathing was becoming increasingly labored, making Jules wonder if one of the bullets had punctured a lung. If he didn't get medical help almost immediately he was going to die right there and there wasn't a damn thing she could do to prevent it. Damn whoever had done this to him. She turned her head towards the direction she'd dropped her phone and once more hoped the connection was still viable.

"Donna, damn it, I need you guys here now." She yelled, not caring if the auto transcriber was recording her sounding anything less than professional and composed. This man meant as much to her as Sam, her own father and brothers, Greg, and the rest of Team One. He couldn't die, not like this, not with her hovering over him with her blood soaked hands pressing her now ruined lavender shirt against his bleeding wounds. She returned her attention to the man whose life was almost literally in her hands.

She heard the heavy front door of the gym bang open. She sniffled back her tears, expecting Donna and the rest of her team to burst in at any second. She didn't even look toward the door, worried that if she took her eyes off Al for one second more, he would slip away from her forever. She expected Jimmy, the young rookie of Team Three who seemed to have the most medical training, to kneel beside her to check on Al while Donna pressed her for any information she could give that would lead to the identity of the shooters.

When she heard the tell-tale crunch of a boot stepping down on her discarded cell phone, she didn't look up. Phones could be replaced and she knew from personal and repeated experience that when a team cleared a room, they didn't pay much attention to things like dropped cell phones. Her attention remained riveted on Al, expecting to hear Donna announce that the room was clear so that Al could be helped. Instead, she was surprised to hear the sound of a single gun cocking into firing position. Now she did glance up to see the barrel of a Smith and Wesson pistol pointed at her with a finger prepared to pull the trigger at any second.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Notes: Thanks to everyone who reviewed the first chapter. I'm glad you liked it. I hope you continue to enjoy it.

Disclaimer: The show Flashpoint and its characters were created by Mark Ellis and Stephanie Morgenstern and belong to them and the networks who air the episodes. Since the show has ended, our only way of getting new Flashpoint is through fan fiction. This story is my attempt to help fill the void, and the only profit I make is the warm fuzzy feeling reviews give me. Anything that does not come directly from the show is my own creation and should not be used without my permission.

What's Past is Now Present

Chapter 2

Jules Callaghan wasn't a stranger to having guns pointed at her. When she had primarily filled the role as sniper, it hadn't happened often. Then she was usually far enough away from the action in a Sierra position to be threatened. As a negotiator, however, it had happened more frequently. As far as Sam was concerned, it happened way too often for his peace of mind. She appreciated the protectiveness that he showed toward her while at the same time being glad that he was able to usually squelch the worst of his worry from showing.

Controlling her breathing, she looked past the muzzle of the gun now pointed at her, past the shaking hand holding the gun with a finger on the trigger, to the man responsible for the current threat. He looked completely scared at the same time as looking angry as hell.

"Put your hands where I can see them." He demanded. The order would have sounded more menacing if the voice that had uttered it hadn't been shaking at the time. The uniform the man was wearing identified him as one of the security guards from the company hired to do patrols in the neighborhood to discourage crime in the area.

If she did as he ordered, Al would bleed out. If she didn't, then the guard looked jittery enough that he might actually fire on her despite the fact that she didn't present an active threat. She had to diffuse the situation without allowing either of those things to happen. "I can't do that. Please…."

The guard shook his head. "I had calls about gunfire at this location. Get your hands where I can see them or I swear I'll shoot."

Normally Jules could be almost as calm and even-tempered as Greg when it came to dealing with potentially dangerous people holding guns and lives hostage. Perhaps if this guard wasn't endangering Al's life by trying to get her to move, she could regain that composure and focus, but for now, it was all she could do to keep the panic and irritation out of her voice. "Damn it, if I move my hands he's going to bleed to death. Is that what you want? If you're going to shoot me, then you'll just have to do it because I'm not about to let him die so you can play at being some sort of hero."

"How do I know you aren't the one who shot him in the first place?"

Jules didn't have anything against security guards; they had a job to do like any other but when they boggled the attempt of trying to play cop, she lost patience. When they interfered with her doing her job whether officially or unofficially, she lost it even faster. "With what? Do you even see a gun? Please, I'm a cop. Jules Callaghan with the Police Strategic Response Unit."

The gun came down just a smidgeon. Then he shook his head. "Where's your badge then?"

"In my gym bag in the locker room. Damn it, I don't have time for this. Please help me save him. He's going to die if he doesn't get medical help."

Just then Donna and the rest of her team burst into the gym with their guns drawn. Immediately seeing the guard with his gun pointed at Jules, Donna aimed at him. The rest of her team followed suit as Donna issued orders in a crisp, no-nonsense voice. "Strategic Response Unit. Stand down and lower your weapon. Do it now."

For a moment the guard looked like he wasn't going to comply. Jules wasn't surprised; he had that look of cockiness that suggested that he thought his job was on an equal playing field as SRU and that they couldn't possibly be talking to him. Then as he realized that several M4s and a couple of Glocks were pointed in his direction, he holstered his weapon.

"I'm Stan with the security company that's paid to patrol the area. We got calls of shots fired and I was checking things out. I found her kneeling over the body." He offered by way of explanation. Jules bristled at his reference to Al being a body, as if he were no longer alive.

Donna nodded. "Tom, take Stan outside and get a full statement. I want to know if there's been anything out of the ordinary not just today but the last few days as well."

The constable nodded and led the guard out of the building. Jimmy was already kneeling beside Jules and Al, silently assessing the situation. Jules wouldn't look at his face. She knew Al's condition was precarious and didn't want to see a confirmation in the rookie's face. Most of all, she didn't want to see anything that might suggest the situation was hopeless; it was bad enough she'd listened to Stan the guard's belief that Al was already gone. Jimmy might have more medical training than she did but he didn't know Al. Al was a fighter and he wouldn't give up, not without the fight of his lifetime.

"Jimmy?" Donna asked. She hadn't said anything to Jules though she'd have to momentarily. She could see the worry in the younger woman's face, had heard the uncharacteristic sound of near panic in Jules's voice even though the phone connection had been tenuous at best. She didn't know the situation but she could at least give Jules a moment or two to compose herself before questioning her.

"GSW times 2 to the chest and one to the shoulder. We need EMS immediately." He didn't elaborate, didn't need to; the injuries could speak for themselves how serious the situation was.

Donna relayed the request through the radio. Her eyes swept the room. She noted, as Jules had earlier, that there didn't seem to be any evidence of robbery. That suggested that what had taken place was more personal rather than anything else. She couldn't wait any longer to try to get some sort of information out of the other woman. "Jules, what can you tell me about what happened?"

Jules didn't answer. It wasn't that she was ignoring Donna but that she hadn't even heard her. Jimmy was trying to ease her hands away from the shirt she'd been pressing against the worst of Al's wounds. She couldn't let him; even if he was trying to help, the pressure she was exerting on the older man's chest was all that was keeping the blood pool forming beneath him from getting bigger. Her hands felt locked into position, and she wasn't sure she could move them even if she wanted to.

Jimmy gave up trying to look at the wounds, realizing it was a futile move. It wasn't like he could do much anyway. Short of an operating room and a surgeon's skill, there wasn't much anyone could do to help the injured man. Instead, he pressed two fingers against Al's carotid artery. He frowned. "No pulse. We've got to start CPR."

Jules stared at him and then back down at Al. A few seconds, she'd taken her eyes off Al for just a few seconds because of the threat of the gun and in those few seconds, she missed his breathing going from labored to nonexistent. Before she could even register the movement, Jimmy had his face mask out and was already staring respirations. After giving five breaths, Jimmy looked at Jules. "Callaghan, you good for chest compressions or do I need to do it?"

Snapping back to herself, Jules nodded. Her hands weren't exactly in the right place for chest compressions, but she couldn't move them to the text-book position. It would have to be good enough. Jimmy and Jules worked in tandem trying to keep Al alive. With every compression on her friend's chest, she could feel her already blood-soaked hands become even more saturated.

Paramedics arrived quickly and Jules found herself being pushed aside so they could work. She didn't protest as she rose shakily to her feet. They were his best chance at survival at the moment and she had to let them do their job. It was time for her to hers as well. She joined Donna. Though she hadn't heard Donna's earlier question, she knew what Donna needed to know.

"The shooter or shooters were gone by the time I got here. I never saw them. It doesn't make sense, Donna. I can't imagine why anyone would do this."

"You know the victim well." It wasn't a question. Even now Jules kept her gaze on the older man and the medics trying to save him. It was as if she was afraid to take her eyes off him. Besides, with the state-of-the-art equipment they had at headquarters, it wasn't like Jules needed to join a gym in order to work out. Even if Jules had wanted a little more anonymity that a private gym membership could offer, Donna was pretty sure this wasn't the kind of gym she'd choose.

Jules nodded. "Al and I were teaching a self-defense class this morning. We'd just finished up and the women had left." Jules paled even more than she already had. "If they'd still been here…"

"But they weren't." Donna quickly reminded her. "Jules, I hate to ask this but do you know of anyone who might want to hurt Al?"

Jules shook her head. "No, everyone loves Al. He's the type of guy who would give you the shirt off his back even if it was the only one he owned."

Donna nodded. "If he were having a problem - if someone were threatening him - would he tell you about it?"

"Definitely. Remember several years ago when Corbin Mazey was trying to get a foothold in the area?" Again Donna nodded; she'd been with drug squad at the time and while she hadn't been involved in the bust of the drug lord that had tried to set up shop in the neighborhood, she remembered how his arrest based on a tip had been a real coup for the department. Jules continued. "Al saw what was going down and didn't like it. He couldn't stand to see anyone threatening his kids as he called them. He came to me and told me what was going on. He wanted my advice about what he should do; I was able to get him connected to the right department to stop Mazey. If someone was giving him trouble, he'd tell me about it, but he hasn't said a word."

Donna didn't press the issue. Obviously someone had a reason for wanting to see the man hurt or killed but she trusted Jules enough to believe that if Jules said she didn't know of any problems, then she really didn't know. "Okay, what about family? Is there anyone we can call? I'm sure the hospital will need someone to sign consent forms."

Jules frowned. The only family Al had left was Barry, but she knew he was the last person Al would want contacted for any reason. She shook her head. "No one that needs to be there. I have his medical proxy; the documentation should be in his wallet. I can sign the consent forms."

If that seemed odd to Donna, she didn't say so. After all, her family was too far away to be of much help in an emergency. Before she'd married Hank, she'd had to depend on friends or co-workers to have her proxy in case of an emergency.

The paramedics were using the defibrillator on Al, shocking his heart back into rhythm. Jules flinched every time the medic shouted "Clear." The third shock seemed to work and the medics were ready to transfer him to a stretcher for transport. Jules chewed her bottom lip. She wanted to ride with them to the hospital, needed to be close so that she knew what was going on with him. At the same time, however, she knew she was needed there at the gym to help Donna with the investigation. Didn't she owe it to Al to do everything to bring his shooter to justice?

As if recognizing her dilemma, Donna nodded toward the medics. "Go with them. You'll be needed at the hospital to sign those forms. I'll finish up what we can here and then meet you there."

Before following the medics and Al out of the office, Jules bent down and scooped up Al's cap. She'd often teased him that she bet he even slept in the stupid thing, it was such a constant fixture for him. It seemed wrong to just leave it there and she knew he'd want it as soon as he was conscious and alert. And she refused to believe that he wouldn't soon be both conscious and alert. The blood on her hands just blended with the red of the cap as she twisted it reflexively, but she seemed oblivious to it. She was right on their heels as they wheeled the stretcher out of the office toward the outer door.

Donna watched her go and then reached for her cell phone. Jules was holding herself together surprisingly well given all that had happened and was still happening. Still, as tough as Jules was and as much as she was obviously determined to be there for Al, she needed someone to be there for her. She pulled up the number she was looking for from her contacts, then frowned when the only response she got was only Sam's voicemail message. She ended the call without leaving a message; how could she explain everything in a message? She tried two more times, hoping that maybe Sam just couldn't get to his phone in time and would finally pick up, but each time it went to his voicemail. Then she tried a different number. This time she connected with a live voice.

"Boss, it's Donna. Jules needs you."

- FP - FP - FP -

By the time Sam and his buddies took a break on the ice, it was well after any normal lunch time. They didn't mind however, the workout they'd gotten from the game had increased their appetite and would make lunch even more enjoyable. Sitting on a bench, Sam reached into his bag for his water bottle for a drink before removing his skates. Returning the plastic bottle to his bag, he noticed that he'd missed several calls on his cell phone while playing. He scrolled through the numbers with a frown. Three from Donna and one from Sarge. Why would they be calling him on his day off? Team One wasn't even scheduled to be the back-up team so if they'd been recalled, it would have to have been something major happening. Even if that were the case, the page out would have come from dispatch not either Donna or Sarge.

"Come on, Braddock, get a move on. We're starving. You can call the little lady back later." One of his buddies complained; several others echoed the suggestion. Sam waved off their protests.

"I gotta check this out guys; it's work. And do me a favor, when we meet up with Jules later, please call her the little lady. I haven't gotten to enjoy watching her kick some ass in a while. It'll be fun."

He dialed his voicemail to find he had only one message. Any joking or good humor as well as the color in his face faded as Sarge's message started.

"_Sam, it's Greg. There was an incident earlier. I'm on my way to St. James hospital to meet Jules…"_

Sam ended the call without listening to the rest of the message. Jules was in the hospital following some sort of incident. Nothing else mattered besides knowing that Jules was hurt. He had to get to her. Barely taking the time to remove his skates or to make excuses to his friends, Sam rushed out of the arena. He could only hope he got there in time.

What kind of incident could have happened? He knew Jules was spending the morning with Al teaching that self-defense class but couldn't remember her saying she had any other plans for the day. Had it been a car accident? He hadn't paid enough attention to the times of the missed calls to even know how long ago she'd been hurt. While he'd been having fun, had Jules been lying in some hospital bed wondering what was keeping him?

His thoughts were in a jumble of worst case scenarios. Later, he'd never be able to say just how he'd managed to get from the ice rink to the hospital without getting pulled over or causing a wreck. He wouldn't even remember the drive. He only knew that every second felt like a lifetime until he was pulling haphazardly into a parking space at the hospital.

He rushed inside the emergency room and straight to the nurse's desk. His heart was beating so loudly the roar seemed to fill his ears to the point he wasn't sure he'd be able to hear the nurse at all. "Please, Jules Callaghan, where is she?"

It seemed to take the nurse forever to type the name into the computer. She frowned. "I'm sorry, sir, we don't have anyone with that name listed."

Sam felt like he'd been punched in the gut. How could they not have her listed? Sarge had said this was the hospital she'd been taken to. He wouldn't have gotten it wrong. The only reason Sam could think of…He shook his head. No, he couldn't think the worst. He wanted to reach over the desk and give the woman a shake.

"No, she's got to be here. Check again. Maybe it's under Julianna Callaghan."

The nurse obligingly checked again and once more shook her head. "I'm sorry, sir. She's not here. There was a major accident on the freeway; was she involved in that? That could explain why she's not in the system. We received a few Jane Does and several DOAs. If you could have a seat, I can get someone who could possibly help you."

Sam just stood there, scarcely able to breathe. She couldn't be a Jane Doe. Sarge knew she was there and he would have already cleared up any confusion if for some reason they hadn't gotten her name. However, the other alternative was too horrible to contemplate. He couldn't lose her. Not now. Not when everything finally seemed to be on the right track for them. No woman had ever meant as much to him as Jules did. She made his life seem complete and made every day he got to spend with her exciting and brand-new. They'd already survived so much; her getting shot, the break-up, getting back together and sneaking around, Jules nearly dying in that lab from anthrax. He didn't want to imagine what it would be like to lose her permanantly. He'd rather go through any amount of physical pain instead.

"Sir, are you okay?" The nurse asked, concern evident in her voice.

Sam shook his head as he backed away from the desk. Okay? How could he be okay if Jules wasn't? A hand touched his arm and he jumped before turning to see Donna standing there, a look of concern that seemed to match that in the nurse's voice. He realized she'd probably called his name several times but he hadn't registered it. He swallowed hard.

"Donna? Jules, is she…" He swallowed hard, unable to finish it.

"She's probably on the surgical floor. At least that's what Greg said when I talked to him a few minutes ago. Come on, we'll go up together. I'm glad he was able to get in touch with you. Jules was trying hard not to let it show but I could tell how scared she was and how much she was hurting. I was worried about her when she left in the ambulance."

Nothing in Donna's tone or her words indicated that Jules hadn't survived whatever it was that had happened. Jules might be hurt but as long as she was alive, they could get through any injuries together. Her not being listed in the computer must be some sort of clerical mistake. Sam found his voice. "How bad?"

"Could have been worse. Jules took a big risk considering she was unarmed and possibly outgunned. I told her to stay put; it was what procedure would demand, but she couldn't do it. I guess I can't blame her; it's hard to sit back and do nothing when someone you care about is possibly in danger."

Unarmed and outgunned? Sam swallowed hard. Had she been shot again? He knew probably better than anyone what an emotional toil her recovery had taken out of her when she'd been shot before. Jules was tough, tougher than probably anyone he knew and he included himself in that assessment, but she was probably also toughest on herself. Those months when her recovery seemed too slow for her had been hell on her; and on him because he was powerless to make it easier on her.

"Where?" He seemed reduced to being able to speak in only single words instead of complete sentences.

"Taggert's Gym."

It wasn't the answer he was looking for but he couldn't blame her; it wasn't like he'd been clear. He leaned against the back wall of the elevator, not sure how much longer his legs were going to support him. He felt like he'd gone twenty rounds on the sparring mat with each of his teammates without a break. Someone came into Al's and shot Jules? Why? It didn't make sense to him. The only time he'd ever felt apprehensive about her being at the gym was when she used her key to let herself in after hours and she was there all alone. That was only because he knew when she did that, it was because something was bothering her and she tended to not pay attention to her surroundings. He knew Jules could take care of herself and that Al would never let anything happen to her if he could help it. But what could either of them do against guns? Al…

"Damn, Donna, what about Al?" Jules would be devastated if anything happened to her friend. It wouldn't matter if she'd been shot trying to help him, she'd consider it a failure on her part if he had been hurt.

Donna sighed. "It didn't look good, Sam. I won't lie to you. He was in bad shape."

The elevator opened and Sam stepped out with Donna a half step behind. He saw Greg halfway down the hall leaning against the wall with his back to him. Sam started toward him. "Sarge?"

The older man turned and as he did Sam could see just beyond him. Once again the wind was knocked out of him, but this time in a good way. Jules was standing there, her tank top covered with blood, her eyes red with unshed tears, but looking remarkably alive and unhurt. Unable to talk, he crossed the distance to her side in record time and crushed her against his chest. Nothing else mattered in that moment than feeling her warm, reassuringly uninjured body flush against him. Not caring who was watching, Sam lowered his head, capturing her lips with his own.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Notes: I dedicate one of the sentences in this chapter to SYuuri. I'm sure she'll recognize which one immediately. She also made the suggestion that I put in some hints toward a canon event so I've tried to begin laying the way to that in this chapter. Thanks for the suggestion, SYuuri. I hope it's close to what you had in mind. I hope everyone enjoys this chapter.

Disclaimer: The show Flashpoint and its characters were created by Mark Ellis and Stephanie Morgenstern and belong to them and the networks who air the episodes. Since the show has ended, our only way of getting new Flashpoint is through fan fiction. This story is my attempt to help fill the void, and the only profit I make is the warm fuzzy feeling reviews give me. Anything that does not come directly from the show is my own creation and should not be used without my permission.

What's Past is Now Present

Chapter 3

Sam's kiss was desperate and hungry, almost to the point of being demanding. His hands cupped the back of her head, and his fingers laced their way through her hair which was still down and slightly damp from her shower earlier. He was breathing hard by the time he pulled back. He looked her over carefully, alarmed by the amount of blood he saw covering her clothes and hands. Streaks of crimson had dried on her face.

"Jules, are you okay? Should you even be standing? Has the doctor looked at you?"

Jules frowned. She hadn't protested his kiss, needing the contact with him to counter the fears she'd been battling since discovering that Al had been shot. As much as she'd welcomed and needed the contact, she didn't understand the sheer panic she was seeing in his eyes or his frantic questions. "Sam, I'm fine. I wasn't hurt. It's not my blood." She turned her head toward Greg, an accusatory look in her eyes. "You promised me you told him I was okay when you called him."

Greg held his hands up in protest. "I did. I swear. I told him in the message that there had been an incident and I was on my way here to meet you. I told him you weren't hurt but that your friend had been shot."

Sam hung his head slightly looking sheepish as he admitted, "I didn't listen to the whole message. I heard up to the point that you were meeting Jules at the hospital and assumed the worst. It's a wonder I even got my skates off and my shoes on before I bolted out of the arena. I'm not sure that I remember the drive here. All I could think of was that I had to get to you. No wonder they didn't have you listed in the computer downstairs. I think I just about died when they said you weren't a patient but you might have been…"

He trailed off, a hard shudder running down his spine. He couldn't voice how scared he'd been that Jules had died without him being there to do anything to prevent it. He thought back to the couple times recently that Jules had feared something had happened to him; first from a nightmare that had seemed all too real to her and then again when the apartment he and the others on the team had been searching had blown up while Jules had been safely on the sidewalk below. He realized he'd never truly understood how she had felt both of those times. Now he knew and he never wanted either of them to ever feel that kind of fear ever again.

Once more he crushed her to him as his lips found hers for a second time. As the kiss deepened, Sam felt some of the blind panic he'd been in start to fade just slightly. Jules hadn't been killed; she hadn't even been hurt; he hadn't lost the most important person to ever enter his life. All of those fears he'd felt from the moment he'd half listened to his voicemail had been for naught, and he'd never been more grateful to be wrong about something in his whole life.

He pulled back, resting his head on her forehead. "I'm sorry."

He wasn't really sure what he was apologizing for. Maybe it was for his overreaction, or for not getting the whole story in the first place, or for not being there when she'd been in danger. Maybe he was apologizing for Al being in danger or for not being more understanding when she was the one worried that something had happened to him. He didn't know the reason for his whispered apology but the need for making had never been greater.

Once more he stared into her eyes. "What happened? You and Al were teaching that self-defense class this morning."

Jules nodded, "Yeah, class was over and I went to shower and changed. I don't know what happened; I heard gun shots and by the time I got to the office the shooters were gone and Al was on the ground bleeding. There was so much blood."

Her stomach turned and she knew she was about to be sick. She pushed away from Sam and stumbled toward the bathroom, closing the door firmly behind her. Sam frowned as he watched her disappear; torn between wanting to follow her and wanting to give her the privacy to be sick without an audience. He turned toward Greg and Donna. "She really wasn't hurt?"

He knew she wasn't; had seen with his own eyes that she was okay, but he couldn't completely shake the panic that had settled over him when he'd heard the first part of Greg's message. He was looking at Greg but it was Donna who answered.

"She wasn't hurt, Sam. When my team got there, she was trying to keep Al alive. I think what happened rattled her but you know Jules; she's not going to admit it for anything. Sam, I tried to ask Jules earlier but I think she might have been too worried about her friend to really answer. Do you know anyone who would want to hurt Al Taggert?"

Sam thought about the older man he'd met through Jules. Al was a likeable guy, came across all cantankerous and tough but everyone who knew him immediately saw through it as can act and that he had a heart of gold. Even as the old man had threatened Sam with all kinds of bodily harm if he ever so much as thought about hurting Jules, Sam had known that this was a man who would do anything to protect those he cared about. He couldn't imagine anyone having a cross word for Al let alone a reason for wanting to hurt him. "No, I've seen the way the people in the neighborhood treat him. They've got nothing but love for him. Hell, I think he's single-handedly done more for keeping the neighborhood from completely turning over to gangs and drugs than anyone else."

Donna nodded; that seemed to match what Jules had managed to tell her. It also gave her a suspicion that she'd rather follow up with Sam than Jules. "So if someone wanted to hurt the neighborhood, Al would be a good target?"

Sam just looked at her. It was hard for him to picture the man who was so important to Jules as the target for anything worse than a practical joke. The question, however, was a valid one. "Yeah, maybe so. You have any idea who might have been responsible?"

Donna shook her head. "No, we talked to the security guard who came up after the shots were fired," she didn't add the part about the guard holding Jules at gunpoint. She didn't think Sam was sufficiently recovered from his earlier fright to handle that news. "We asked him about anything out of the ordinary going on and even checked the company's logs. There was nothing to indicate anything out of the ordinary was going on either today or in the past few weeks. I guess we won't have anything to go on until Al is able to talk to us." She glanced around to make sure that Jules hadn't emerged from the bathroom. "That is, if he is able to talk to us. To be on the safe side, we'll keep officers posted in the hospital and later outside his room in case this wasn't an isolated attack."

"Al's going to be fine." Jules protested. She'd stepped out of the bathroom in the split second between when Donna had made her check and her statement and Jules had heard the if caveat. She looked a little pale but the worst of the blood had been washed off her hands and face. "He's been through worse and survived; this won't be any different. I don't care what anyone says about odds and chances of recovery; Al's not going to let a few gunshot wounds get the best of him."

She walked back to Sam, sliding an arm around his waist as she rested her head on his chest once more. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. Greg reached over and gave her arm a slight squeeze. "Jules, you never said; what did the surgeon say before he took Al to the operating room."

Right after he'd arrived at the hospital, Jules had been called back to consult with the surgeon. She'd just came back looking like she was holding on to the last of her emotional control when Sam had come up. Greg recognized that she'd needed Sam's kiss as much as Sam probably had needed to give it.

Jules took a deep breath, "They won't know the extent of the damage until they open him up. The surgeon doesn't think the one to the shoulder is life threatening but it might have caused some nerve damage. The two to the chest, however, are a different story."

She didn't continue, didn't want to voice how the surgeon had looked at her with sympathy and compassion to tell her that though he would do his best, he couldn't guarantee that Al would even survive the surgery. She definitely didn't want to talk about the choices she'd had to make as Al's medical proxy in the event that things went bad during surgery. Later, when it was just her and Sam and she knew Al was going to be okay, she'd share that pain with Sam, but for now it was still too raw.

Greg eyed her carefully. In all his years of knowing her, he'd never seen her look so spent and vulnerable. She was shaking and it didn't look like her legs would hold her much longer. "Surgery's going to take awhile; no sense in us just standing out here in the hallway. Let's go into the waiting room. The doctors will call you there if there's any word."

Jules nodded and took a step toward the room. Suddenly the world tilted dizzyingly. She gripped Sam's shirt trying to regain her balance. Sam tightened his hold on her automatically and looked at her in concern.

"Jules?"

"I'm okay. I'm sure it's just hunger. I skipped breakfast this morning and Al and I never got to eat lunch. I'm fine."

Greg looked dubious. He'd seen Jules go a whole day on a hot call without eating without a moment's trouble. He was sure it had more to do with the shock of what had happened. Jules was tough and could handle dangerous situations at work without batting an eye, but he knew from personal experience that it was a totally new situation when you suddenly found yourself not in the role of officer but in that of victim. "Sam, take her into the waiting room. I'll run down to the cafeteria and get us all some coffee and sandwiches."

"I'll go with you, Boss," Donna added. "I want to run some thoughts about the investigation by you." It wasn't a lie but Donna wanted to go with Greg more to give Jules and Sam some time alone. She knew they were a couple, everyone at SRU knew, but she'd been there the day they'd gotten the official clearance to remain on the same team and date. Still, outside of that day, seeing them as a couple was a new experience for her. At work, they were ultra professional; probably worried that the slightest slip in professionalism would cause the brass to change their minds about letting them work together. Seeing Sam kiss Jules earlier had reminded her of how she'd felt on her wedding day thinking that Hank had been killed and then learning that he was still alive. When she'd finally been allowed to hold him, she hadn't wanted to ever let go of him. She'd seen that same look on Sam's face. This wasn't just a casual relationship for the two of them; it was real love. It warmed her heart and made her pull for them even more because of it.

Once Sam was alone with Jules, he led her inside the waiting room to a couch that looked much more comfortable than the chairs that lined the room. Jules nestled in close to him and rested her head on his chest. She closed her eyes for just a moment trying to collect herself. She hated feeling weak; she had to be strong so she could help Al.

Sam cupped her chin and lifted it so she was looking him in the eye. "What's this about skipping breakfast? You were making yourself a mango smoothie this morning while I was getting dressed."

Jules shrugged. "I don't know; I guess my mango had gone bad. I had it all fixed and before I took the first sip of it, the smell made me gag. I couldn't drink it and I didn't have time to fix anything else. I didn't think it was a big deal; wasn't expecting anything like this happening to interfere with lunch."

Sam moved his hand from her chin to her cheek and once more claimed her lips. He wasn't usually one for public displays of affection but his heart hadn't quite recovered from thinking he'd lost her and he couldn't help himself. Once he broke off the kiss, he gazed into her eyes searching for a truth he wasn't sure she'd actually verbalize. "Jules, are you sure you are okay? I know you; if you thought someone was in danger, your own safety would be the last thing on your mind. I'm betting you didn't just sit around waiting on help to come without doing something."

She blushed slightly. Sam knew her so well. "You're right. Donna and Sidney were both telling me to stay put, but I had to check on Al. I was too late though. By the time I cleared the locker room, it was over. Whoever had shot him had fled and Al was on the ground bleeding to death. If I hadn't taken that shower or gone to change, I would have been there and I…"

"…Could be lying on an operating table as well." Sam finished for her, knowing it wasn't what she was going to say but that it was still the truth. "Jules, you were unarmed; you couldn't have stopped what happened. You think Al would have wanted you in danger? I know he wouldn't."

"I'm a cop, Sam. I could have done something. Negotiated with the shooters, maybe. At least I could have an idea as to who would do this and why. As it is, we've got nothing."

Sam hated hearing her beat herself up over not being able to do more. He understood it though. How many times had he second guessed himself after feeling like he'd failed? After his sister died, after Matt had been shot, after Jules had been shot, after he had to rescue the civilian while Jules was lying on the lab floor breathing in anthrax spores and bleeding to death. He understood her feelings but at the same time he couldn't allow her to wallow in them. "Yeah, you are a cop and a damn good one too. Today, however, you were off duty and that meant you didn't have your weapon, your vest, or the rest of the team backing you up and guarding your six. Maybe you could have negotiated or gotten a line on the subjects but you could have also given them leverage to use against Al for whatever they wanted. You could have been hurt or shot. You could have been killed, and I'm not okay with that. You know Al wouldn't be either."

Jules sniffled slightly, the only concession she'd make to the onslaught of emotions threatening her. "I know. I get it; I'm not superhuman and I did everything I possibly could have done. I have to be satisfied that I did enough, but it just feels wrong. You know?"

Sam nodded, squeezing her tightly against him. "Yeah, I know."

"Sam," Jules ventured, and then stopped. She'd wanted to wait to talk about the conversation she'd had with the surgeon until much later but it was eating away at her too much to put it off. Right now, while she and Sam were alone, she had to get it off her chest. Needed Sam to offer her an absolution to the guilt she was feeling. She took a deep breath. "The surgeon asked me what Al's wishes were about advanced life support."

Sam leaned his head back so that it rested against the wall. He could only imagine how painful that conversation had been. "Damn, does he think…"

She shrugged, her shoulder digging into his chest a little with the effort. "I think it's a possibility he has to consider. My heart and my head both know what Al would want. He'd say 'if it's my time it's my time; I don't want no machines doing the job of my heart and lungs if they aren't up to the task.' Al's a fighter but he's never believed in cheating. To him, machines doing the work for him would be cheating. I know that and as his medical proxy I'm supposed to do what he would want."

Sam wanted to take this pain away from her; she'd already been through enough from the sound of it and he was pretty sure he still hadn't heard the whole story. It didn't seem fair to make her choose life or death for someone who meant so much to her. He was also sure when Al had made her his proxy, he'd done so probably never expecting her to have to make those kinds of decisions. "Jules, you yourself were saying earlier that Al's tough and is going to pull through this. You've got to keep trusting that the doctors aren't going to have to make that decision. And if the worst happens, it's not your fault; you were doing what Al would have wanted."

Jules sighed, burying her face once more against Sam's chest. "You don't understand; I know that's what he would say and what I should have told the surgeon but it wasn't what I could tell him. Instead, I told him to do whatever he had to do to save Al so long as he wouldn't have to permanently be hooked to machines. Don't you see, Al trusted me to follow through on his wishes but I just couldn't do it."

Sam held her close and planted a kiss to the side of her head. "Jules, I don't think Al will fault you for this. It's a good compromise and I can't see Al being upset. If I'm wrong, then at least he's alive to be upset about it. Okay? Don't worry about it."

She sighed again. "He's going to be okay, right? I'd rather have him alive and mad at me than dead."

"He's going to be okay." Sam assured her, hoping it wasn't an empty promise. "And the only thing he's going to be mad at you about is for sitting here beating yourself up over this. It's the last thing he'd want; you know that right?"

"Yeah, I know." Jules agreed, sounding more tired and more defeated than Sam thought he'd ever heard her sound. "Doesn't make it any easier though."

For a moment, Sam thought back to those moments after she'd been shot. Moments when the scene was too precarious for back-up to arrive and get her to the medics who could save her life. Moments when despite doing everything he'd known to do, he couldn't help but feel like it wasn't good enough. Moments when he hadn't been sure she'd live long enough for him to apologize for not doing more. His lips brushed against her forehead. "Copy that."

For the next several minutes, they simply sat there in silence. Sam knew that nothing he could say would make her feel better; knew nothing would except the doctor coming in and saying that Al would make a full recovery. He also knew that she didn't need him to fix things for him. She just needed him to be there for her. It seemed so little and insignificant but he was more than happy to do just that for as long as she needed it.

Detecting a change in her breathing, Sam glanced down and smiled. She'd dropped off to sleep in his arms. He was glad to see it. The rest would do her good; give her a chance to get her emotions back in check. He understood and certainly didn't fault her for being affected by what had happened but he knew she would find fault with herself.

He wasn't sure how long he'd sat there holding her before the door to the waiting room opened. He looked up, expecting to see Greg and Donna return. He appreciated them giving him the time alone with Jules but he knew they couldn't stay away forever, especially not Donna. She wasn't there as a concerned friend but as an officer needing answers to an investigation. It wasn't either of the people he had expected to see though. Without any real interest but with nothing to do but people watch, Sam watched as a tall, muscular man stepped inside and approached the volunteer's desk.

There was something familiar about the man but Sam couldn't quite place how he knew him. The newcomer was close to half a foot taller even than Sam. It was obvious the man worked out, possibly even more than they worked out on a daily basis with SRU. He had to be a body builder or something close to it.

"Damn it, I have a right to know how he's doing." The man declared angrily when the volunteer apparently wouldn't give him the information he was asking for. Sam shifted ever so slightly, not wanting to wake Jules but prepared so that he could intervene if the situation called for it.

Despite his efforts not to wake her, Jules stirred in his arms, the uncomfortable position not letting her sleep for long even if he hadn't moved. She stirred in his arms. "Sorry, I didn't mean to doze off."

She realized he was paying more attention to something across the room and followed his gaze. She stiffened and rose quickly. To Sam's surprise, she went straight toward the newcomer. The agitated man noticed her approach and then scowled. His hands were on his hips, thumbs hooked through his belt loops. He shook his head.

"I stopped by the gym and saw all the police cars. An officer told me Al had been shot and brought here. I came as quickly as I could. What the hell are you doing here? What right do you have? Are you the reason they won't tell me a damn thing about him?"

The anger in the man's voice bothered Sam much more now that it was directed toward Jules than when he'd spoken to the volunteer Sam didn't know. Sam stood, coming to stand behind Jules, his hands coming to rest on her hips. He knew she didn't need him to protect her but he wanted her - and this stranger - to know he was there for support. He could practically feel her anger almost quivering off her in waves. How did she know this guy?

"Jules?" His voice was soft, in direct contrast to the angry tone that had just been directed at her.

It was like she hadn't even heard him. She shook her head, still focused on the man standing opposite her. "Funny, I was about to ask you the same thing. What are you doing here? You're the one who doesn't belong. Don't act like you are all concerned or that you are worried about what happens to Al. You made it clear you didn't care what he or anyone else thought years ago. Why don't you just leave; Al doesn't want you here. And I sure as hell don't."

Suddenly Sam was pretty sure why this guy seemed so familiar to him. He'd never seen a picture of him because he was pretty sure they'd all been put away or destroyed years ago. No, now he recognized the familiar features that reminded him of what Al had probably looked like when he was younger. This was Barry Taggert, Al's son, the guy Jules had once dated but who had hurt her so much that the man's own father had felt the need to warn Sam that he'd better never think of doing the same or he'd answer to Al himself. Sam's left hand left Jules's waist and clenched into a fist.

Barry frowned and took a couple of steps closer to Jules. He towered over her more petite form. "I have no right to be here? He's my father, Jules. The only problem we ever had in my whole life is you. You never did anything but cause me and him more trouble than you were worth. I guess some things never change. How much more does he have to suffer because of you?"

Greg and Donna walked in just in time to hear the stinging sound of flesh striking flesh.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Notes: I don't think they've ever really said how long Jules has been on Team One so I'm making a guess here that she was probably with SRU about three years before Sam's arrival. If I'm wrong, please point me to the where the show revealed the answer and I'll make changes.

Disclaimer: The show Flashpoint and its characters were created by Mark Ellis and Stephanie Morgenstern and belong to them and the networks who air the episodes. Since the show has ended, our only way of getting new Flashpoint is through fan fiction. This story is my attempt to help fill the void, and the only profit I make is the warm fuzzy feeling reviews give me. Anything that does not come directly from the show is my own creation and should not be used without my permission.

What's Past is Now Present

Chapter 4

_29 year old Jules Callaghan didn't think her feet had touched the ground since she'd gotten the call from Sergeant Gregory Parker from the Metro Police Strategic Response Unit. She'd always thought that being with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police was all she could ever want in a career; until she'd watched the SRU in action. From that point on, getting into "the cool pants" as it was called had became her sole focus. _

_Her co-workers had laughed when she'd announced that she would one day not just join SRU but be selected to join the ranks of the cream of the crop, Team One. She was being ridiculous, they'd told her. There was no way she had a chance of making the elite squad. Women just didn't make the cut; SRU was a man's world, always had been, always would be. Besides, not only was she a woman but she was just a little scrap of a woman at that. No way she could cut it with the big leagues. _

_Every insult, every tease only made her more determined. Growing up with four older brothers, she'd never been one to let anyone tell her no to something she wanted. She wouldn't let hard work or nay-sayers sway her. She couldn't change her gender and there wasn't much she could do about her size, but she'd show her co-workers and the selection committee for SRU that she belonged. She'd always been good with a gun, but she spent hours at the gun range until she was reasonable sure she could outshoot just about anyone from any distance. Rock climbing had always been a sport she enjoyed for fun and knowing that rappelling was a sought after skill for SRU, she threw herself into her hobby to become the best at scaling up or down any surface without a second thought. _

_Finally there was an opening on Team One and her application was accepted to try out. As her co-workers had suggested, she was the only female in the pool of officers vying for the one open spot on Team One, and she was without a doubt the smallest. She couldn't delude herself; she knew her chances were slim even in the best of circumstances. She could only hope that her best was good enough. _

_After several days of waiting and worrying that her co-workers had been absolutely right and that her dreams of wearing the cool pants would just be that, she'd gotten the call that she'd been selected. Not only had she been selected to join Team One, with a little more training, Sgt. Parker had alluded to the chance she could be a sniper with the team. Could life get any better?_

_It didn't bother her that her co-workers hadn't shared her exuberance. She hadn't listened to their snide remarks that she'd either used sexual favors to get her place on the team or else the Team had been forced to take a token female on the team. She knew she'd proven she had what it took and she'd continue to prove it every day if she had to. _

"_What can I get you?" The bartender asked as she settled onto a stool at a club not far from her house. Good news deserved a good celebration even if she was celebrating alone. _

"_Beer, whatever you have on draft." She could have ordered something harder but she didn't really like the taste nor did she like feeling out of control if she got drunk. She wanted to celebrate, not get wasted. _

_The bartender nodded and a moment later set a frosty mug in front of her. She sipped it slowly, enjoying the taste of the ale. There was a band playing tonight and she turned on the stool so she could better see them perform. They were good; the music upbeat enough to match her mood. When she finished her beer, she had no desire to leave and ordered a second draft. _

"_Seems a shame for a beautiful woman like yourself to be sitting here all alone." _

_Jules rolled her eyes. She didn't go out to clubs alone very often, and now she remembered why. Too many drunk or almost drunk guys looking to pick up anything in a skirt. She glanced down at her jeans and sweater; okay, so anything that could at some point wear a skirt without raising eyebrows. She hoped by ignoring the comment, the guy would catch a hint. She could smell the booze on his breath even from where he was standing beside her. _

"_How about I buy you something a little better than a beer? Maybe one of those cute little umbrella drinks or something."_

_Jules took a sip of her beer, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "No, thanks. I'm good."_

_He whistled appreciatively. "Yeah, I bet you are good all right. You look like you could be the kind of good me and my buddies are looking to have tonight. We're good too."_

_She wasn't a stranger to being hit on when she went out. Sometimes she even found it flattering. This was not one of those times. This guy, and by extension his two buddies hovering just behind him, was interested in only one thing, and she wasn't interested in granting it by any stretch of the imagination. She wasn't worried about them; she could handle them easily if they got out of hand. After all, wasn't she now a member of SRU's Team One? You didn't make it into the cool pants by not being able to take care of yourself. _

"_I'm not interested. I'd rather be left alone."_

_She figured the guy would continue to harass her. He didn't strike her as the type who would give up easily. She was surprised then when they backed off almost immediately. She could hear them muttering to each other where she could barely make out their words. She was pretty sure she recognized the word "bitch" but not much else. She frowned. Wasn't the first time she'd been called that or worse, but hearing that, she realized that although he had backed down, he was still stewing over her rejection. Probably better if she called it an evening and left before the three got more wasted and more determined to cause trouble. _

_Even though she'd barely started into her second beer, Jules paid her tab and slid off the barstool. The night was warm as she left the club and started the short walk toward her house. She heard the three men as soon as they left the bar behind her. She stiffened, prepared for the confrontation she knew was coming. Rather than let them approach her, she swirled around and faced them._

"_I'm a police officer and if you try anything I will arrest you."_

_The guy who'd done all the talking, grinned. "You promising to handcuff me? I think I could like that; especially if I can return the favor. I might even let you do a strip search if you wanna." _

_His two buddies laughed loudly, like it was the funniest thing they'd ever heard. Jules felt her heart rate quickened. She wasn't scared. Growing up with four older brothers who liked to continuously torment her, she'd learned at an early age - long before she'd ever thought about being a cop - how to defend herself against multiple opponents. _

_Almost as if he felt emboldened by his buddies laughter and the alcohol he'd imbibed earlier, the man laughed some more, shaking his head. "I bet a little thing like you isn't even a real cop. I bet if anything you're a Blue Hornet. That's all someone like you would be qualified for."_

_Jules bristled, insulted. Blue Hornet was the nickname given to the division of the Toronto Police Service that handled parking violations. It was irrational given what she was pretty sure he and his buddies wanted from her, but the insult bothered her more than their intentions, the insinuation that she wasn't capable of more because of her gender and size. Would she always have to prove herself?_

"_How about me and my buddies here show you our guns? I bet you'd like that wouldn't you?" He continued to advance on her, closing the gap between them as his two buddies watched with leers and catcalls. _

_As soon as he reached out to try to grab her, she ducked under his grasp and twisted him around while grabbing his arm. She twisted it up behind his back and locked her other arm around his neck. He'd obviously not expected her moves at all as she had him at her mercy. He struggled but her grip was tight. _

"_I'm going to give you one more chance to walk away with your buddies without any trouble."_

"_Bitch. Like a little bitty thing like you stands a chance against all three of us. We'll show you. Derek, Mike, teach her a lesson."_

_The other two men closed in on her. Jules could fight and would probably win, but she didn't expect to come out unscathed. Even those skirmishes with her brothers had usually left them all a little more bruised than they'd ever wanted their mother to know about. She gave the guy she was holding a shove toward them, hoping to knock them off balance. Instead they caught their friend and steadied him. They continued their advance on Jules. _

_She crouched down into a defensive position and held herself still. She didn't want to make her move too quickly; knew it was to her advantage to wait to just the right moment to lunge. When she did, she fought like she'd never fought before. No other fight had ever mattered like this one. Even though her brothers had liked to torment her, they had always known they couldn't really hurt her for fear of the wrath of both their parents. The sparring she'd done during the recruitment trials for SRU were even more organized. Losing a match there had meant possibly not getting a place on the team but she'd known she wasn't in any real danger. This time her well-being depended on her besting the three men intent on doing her bodily harm. _

_She punched, kicked, and gouged every sensitive area on the three men she could reach, and then would dart out of reach when they tried to grab her. Her smaller size was working in her favor for this fight. She knew it was fighting dirty but considering it was three of them against the one of her, she didn't think she could be faulted. After she landed one particularly painful knee jab to the groin of the ringleader, the three men apparently rethought their position and their chances at beating her.. _

"_Shit, let's get out of here. No piece of tail is worth this shit. She definitely ain't."_

_Jules was breathing hard as the three men ran off. She turned to watch them, not wanting to turn her back on them in case they doubled back and tried to catch her off guard. To her relief, they didn't look back in her direction. She was glad the threat was over; she would have made an arrest if they had persisted but was relieved it hadn't come to that. What kind of impression would it have made with her new team if the same day she'd been selected, she was involved in an altercation outside a club?_

_A strong hand gripped her shoulder. Given what had just happened, Jules reacted immediately. Spinning on her heels, her hand tightened into a fist. She swung out, making contact with her attacker's jaw despite the fact that he was at least a full foot taller than she was. She was ready for a second punch when he grabbed her fist lightly in his hand, preventing the blow._

"_Whoa, there, Darling. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm sorry; I shouldn't have grabbed you like that. I didn't think."_

_She alternated her gaze from her fist captured in his hand to his face and back again. He had the face of a model and the build of an athlete. This was a guy who didn't need pick-up lines or game to interest a woman. If he set his sights on a woman, she was his probably before he ever said a word, and without protest And Jules was every inch a woman.. If he'd approached her in the club earlier instead of the lowlife's she'd attracted, she probably would have let him buy her a drink. But earlier events had left her wary, and adrenaline still pumped through her veins like a drug. _

"_What do you want?" Her tone was soft, questioning but full of accusation._

"_I saw those three giving you a hard time inside and when they followed you out, I got worried. I followed to make sure they didn't hurt you, but you didn't need me. Pretty impressive fighting, if you ask me. Those three didn't stand a chance." He released her fist and ruefully rubbed his chin where she'd clocked him. "Not to mention, you have a wicked left cross."_

_Jules flushed bright red. She was embarrassed that she'd hit him when he'd just been trying to help but was also pleased at his compliment. "I'm sorry. I guess I reacted without thinking."_

"_Understandable. You could make it up to me though. I noticed you barely had a chance to touch your second beer before you were hassled into leaving. I'd like to buy you a drink to replace it." He reached out and brushed a tendril of her hair that had fallen in her struggles out of her face. Jules shivered at his touch. There was nothing fearful or inappropriate about his touch and she found herself nodding without thinking._

"_Sure, although I'm the one who should buy you a drink to make up for slugging you."_

_He grinned at her, the upturning of his lips causing another shiver to run down her spine. "We'll discuss it inside. My name's Barry by the way. Barry Taggert."_

"_Jules, Jules Callaghan."_

- FP - FP - FP -

The palm of Jules's hand stung from slapping the man standing in front of her. Just like the first time she'd met him, he reached up to rub his face where she'd struck him. Her hand was shaking in anger and she wanted to do so much more than just slap the shit out of him. The reassuring grasp of Sam's hands on her hips tightened, reminding her that she wasn't alone and that everything was okay. Her eyes never left Barry. When they'd dated all those years ago, she'd loved just staring at his good looks and wondering how she'd gotten so lucky. Now her gaze held nothing but contempt; she wondered how she'd ever thought he was handsome.

"You slap as hard as you punch. Guess I shouldn't be surprised." There was no admiration or ire in Barry's tone, only indifference. He didn't seem bothered by being slapped.

Greg and Donna approached, both wearing almost identical expressions of concern. Greg set his tray of coffees and bag of sandwiches on the small table nearby before folding his arms across his chest. "Jules, everything okay here?"

"Nothing I can't handle." Jules murmured almost too quietly.

Greg nodded, knowing it was true but not liking the hurt he was seeing in her eyes all the same. From the moment he'd arrived at the hospital after getting Donna's call, he'd been worried about Jules. No doubt about it, Jules Callaghan was one of the toughest individuals he'd ever met. There was nothing she couldn't do once she set her mind to it. He also knew better than just about anyone - maybe even including Sam - that she was also incredibly emotionally complex. She didn't exactly wear her heart on her sleeve but she was definitely passionate when it came to people she cared about. The stinging recriminations she'd given him a few years earlier after he'd been held hostage by the ex-boyfriend of a young girl he'd felt responsible for after the death of her mother still rang in his ears from time to time.

He wasn't sure if it was a byproduct of losing her mother at an age when a girl really needed her mother or a result of years of trying to fit in where so many said she didn't belong, but Jules held tightly to the people she cared about, maybe even to the point of taking it personally if a loved one was hurt. He'd seen it in her eyes from the moment he'd offered her a reassuring hug as they'd waited for the ER doc to give them a report on Al. If Al didn't make it, she would blame herself no matter how much they told her it wasn't her fault.

Greg looked past Jules to Sam and frowned. The young blonde whose heart belong completely to Jules looked ready to do more than just slap the man standing opposite him. There was a coldness in Sam's eyes that Greg had never seen before. He wasn't sure who the stranger was but it was obvious that his presence had completely shaken the young couple. He didn't think it had anything to do with Al's surgery.

Donna could also feel the tension; it had already been thick before she and Greg had left to get coffee but it was worse now, a mixture of worry and anger. She also frowned. Whoever this guy was, his presence had upset Jules and Sam both. Did it have something to do with Al's shooting? Why else was the guy there at the hospital? Greg, Jules, and Sam had all been with SRU longer than she had but currently she was the only one in uniform. She stepped forward in an official capacity.

"What seems to be the problem here?"

Barry flashed her a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Nothing to concern the Strategic Response Unit, Constable. It's a personal matter."

"This is Barry Taggert, Al's son." Jules admitted quietly without elaborating further.

Donna's frown deepened. She'd asked about family at the gym but Jules had told her there was no family that needed to be contacted. What was going on that a possibly dying man's son didn't need to be called? Jules had also insisted that no one had a beef with Al; wouldn't an estranged son count as being worth a mention? Why had Jules slapped him?

"Jules, is there any chance…" Her question was cut off by a quick shake of Jules's head.

"I suspect Barry's capable of many things that have or could hurt his father. But not like what happened today."

"Hurt?" Barry's eyes darkened and he took a step closer to Jules. Sam reacted instantly, stepping between Jules and Barry. Sam wasn't sure who he was protecting with the move, Jules or Barry. Barry just looked him up and down like he was nothing and then past him to Jules. "Like I said, I never had a problem with my dad until you came along. It's sad that a man would choose a pair of doe eyes and a quivering lip over his own son. But then, you've always known how to work the men in your life, didn't you?"

As officers, Jules and Sam were both trained to rein in their most base reactions and maintain control in difficult situations. Donna, however, sensed Barry, whatever his connection, was pushing their buttons effectively enough to override that focus. She needed to step in before one or both of them did something that would get them in trouble. "Mr. Taggert, I'm Donna Sabine and I'm handling the investigation into your father's shooting. It would be helpful if you came with me to answer some questions."

Barry frowned. "I want to be here to know what happens to my father."

Donna nodded. "We won't leave the hospital. There's a consultation room just down the hall we can use."

As she led Barry out of the room, Sam turned toward Jules and once more wrapped his arms around her. She remained stiff in his arms and he was sure she was lost in memories he knew she'd tried hard to forget over the years. His hands lightly ran up her back before bringing them around to cup her face. "Jules?"

The question mark she'd heard at the end of her name could have simply been him seeking reassurance that she was okay. However, she was sure it had more to do with him wanting to know exactly what had just taken place. She shook her head; though she'd give him almost anything he asked for, this was too much. She couldn't do it.

Sam lowered his head and brushed his lips against hers. It wasn't anything like the desperate, passionate ones he'd given her in relief of seeing she was alive and unharmed. This kiss was more tender with more than a hint of promise that everything was okay. He tried again. "Jules.."

This time she didn't hear a question mark but she knew he couldn't turn off his curiosity that easily. She stepped away from him and turned her back on his, hugging her arms across her chest. "I won't…I can't….please."

Again Sam wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her hair. He sighed. "It's okay, Jules. You don't have to say anything. Come on, let's sit down and see what Sarge brought us to eat. It's going to be a long day and you need to keep your strength up."

Immediately he felt a little of the tension leave her body. He didn't add that she didn't have to say anything because he already knew the history between her and Barry. Or at least he knew as much as Al had known about what Barry had done to her. He'd often wondered after hearing the story if there had been more that Jules had never shared even with the older man who meant so much to her. He hoped not. What he knew was bad enough but he also knew the emotional fallout had probably been more for her to handle than she'd ever admit to anyone, including herself.

She let him lead her back to the couch and they settled back into the cushions. Jules rested her head against Sam's chest as Greg brought his purchases closer. He'd never met Barry while Jules had been dating him but he knew why the relationship had ended. He hated that he'd had to play a part in any of it, but was glad that over the years, it hadn't seemed like Jules held him to blame for any of it. Since everything had taken place almost three years before Sam joined SRU and Jules never talked about that time, Greg was pretty sure Sam was completely in the dark about what had just happened. It was probably better that way. Sam was protective by nature and with Jules even more so. It wouldn't matter to him that years had passed; he would feel the need to protect her as if it had just happened.

Greg offered Jules one of the insulated cups of coffee. She took it and raised it to her lips. Before she could even take a sip, she stopped and stared at the cup as if trying to size it up. She frowned and offered it back.

"I think I've lost my appetite."

Sam frowned. "Come on, Sweetheart, you have to eat something. You were getting lightheaded earlier from not eating. You won't do Al any good if you make yourself sick."

Greg refused to take the cup back. He was pretty sure he knew what was bothering Jules but he couldn't come out and say anything without giving away things he was pretty sure Jules didn't want Sam to know. He reached over and squeezed her knee. "I know it's not a double double. Since it came from the cafeteria, it's probably not even the best tasting coffee you've ever had but it's not going to hurt you."

Jules stared at him for a long moment, recognizing what he was really telling her and appreciating his discretion. Her hand was shaking slightly as she once more raised it to her lips and took a tentative swallow. She shouldn't have needed the assurance but there was something about being in Barry's presence that brought out the worst of her insecurities that she'd thought she'd put behind her in the months after she'd ended the relationship. Fortunately in the years that had passed, she'd only run into him one other time besides today.

Greg handed first her and then Sam a wrapped sandwich. Jules was too worried about Al to really be hungry but knew she'd have to at least eat something to keep Sam and Sarge from worrying about her. She took a bite and chewed woodenly, barely even registering the taste.

Sam watched her in concern. He hated seeing her in pain - always had. Wasn't it bad enough that Al was in surgery fighting for his life? Did she really have to deal with Barry as well? His eyes narrowed. How many times since Al had filled him in on that little nugget of Jules's past had he wanted just five minutes alone with the guy? Five minutes to express his disapproval that anyone could ever treat Jules - or any woman - in such a way. He'd actually even secretly looked up Barry's address at one point not long after he and Jules got back together intent on paying him a visit to have just such a "chat" with the man. Only two things had kept him from following through with that plan.

One, he hadn't wanted to admit to Jules that he knew what had happened. She didn't seem intent on telling him about it and he didn't want to push her. After all, Barry was in her past - a past she'd had long before Sam had entered the picture and he didn't want her to feel like she had to give him a detailed description of every past relationship she'd been in. He was glad Al had told him because it had made him understand a lot about her but until or if she decided to share the information with him herself, he didn't want to say anything about knowing.

The second reason why he hadn't given in to his plan had to do with his own emotions. He wasn't one who usually settled things with his fists, although he had had his share of fights in his lifetime. Maybe because he was a cop or because of his military background but he believed there were too many people who tried to settle things violently when there was a better way right in their faces. Those feelings aside, he knew if he ever had those five minutes alone with Barry, he'd forget all about those principles and let his fists do most of his talking. He was also pretty sure they wouldn't stop talking until Barry could no longer stand. The thought scared him enough into not acting. Not because he cared what happened to Barry but because he wouldn't resort to being that person.

The door to the waiting room opened again and Donna and Barry came back inside. Barry looked at Sam and Jules sitting together on the couch and started toward them. Donna put a hand on his arm, shook her head and pointed toward a chair on the other side of the room. He didn't look happy but he complied. Donna waited until he was settled before joining the members of Team One.

"He didn't have any more insight on who could be responsible either," she reported, her tone suggesting maybe she wasn't as sure of the validity of his statements as she had been when Jules had said the same thing. She didn't know what the story between Barry Taggert and Jules was; he hadn't offered any explanations and it didn't look like Jules wanted to either, but Donna didn't need to know details in order to know that however close Jules might be to Al, she didn't share the same feelings for his son. "He wants to stay until there's word about his father. I can't force him to leave; he has a right to be here, but I told him to keep his distance."

Jules grumbled under her breath but it wasn't anything the others could really hear. She set the rest of her sandwich on the little table next to the couch, unable to finish the rest. She looked so miserable, Donna hated to have to press her for more information, but she had a job to do. Perhaps getting her mind back on the investigation and off Barry would help.

"Jules, before I left the gym, I saw that Al had cameras set up both around the inside and another above the entrance but I couldn't find where the feed ran to. I know you didn't get a glimpse of the shooter or shooters but maybe they were caught on video."

Sam swallowed hard. Cameras? Jules had never mentioned that Al had cameras. He'd certainly hadn't noticed them before. He couldn't help but remember the last time he'd joined Jules at the gym. It had been after a long grueling day and he'd tracked Jules there. A sparring match had turned physical in an entirely different way. Had they been caught on film? Had Al possibly seen them making love on the boxing ring mat? What must he have thought? How could Sam ever face the man again?

"The cameras don't work." Jules reported, to Sam's immediate relief. "About three years ago, there was a break-in at the gym. Nothing was taken but the place was pretty well ransacked and there was some major vandalism. Al figured it was just some of the local gangs upset that he was giving the teens in the neighborhood a better outlet for their time than joining their ranks. The insurance adjuster who handled the claim recommended a full video surveillance system but Al thought that was extreme. He set up the dummy cams just to appease the insurance company enough that they wouldn't cancel his policy. He told me he didn't have anything of value there to worry about getting stolen." Nothing of value except maybe his life, Jules thought miserably to herself as she finished her explanation.

Donna nodded. "Okay, there's not much more I can do here until Al is out of surgery and able to talk. I'm going to rejoin my team but call me when I can question him. There are guards stationed throughout the hospital so he's safe. Call me if you need me for anything as well."

Jules nodded, grateful that Donna had used _when_ instead of _if _when it came to his recovery. Donna turned to leave but Jules stopped her before she got two feet away. "Donna?" Her once temporary replacement turned to look at her. "Thanks for everything today."

Donna nodded. "I haven't done much…yet. I promise you though we'll do everything possible to find out who's responsible." She turned and left.

Greg stayed another twenty minutes and then reluctantly admitted that because of plans he'd already made, he would have to leave too. He gave Jules a quick hug and made her promise to call as soon as they had word about Al. Now that he was mostly alone with the woman he loved, there was so much Sam wanted to tell her. He wanted to assure her that while Barry might be a nuisance that once more invaded her life, he wouldn't dare try to hurt her again. He wouldn't be able to because Jules knew what he was capable of and wouldn't allow him to get close enough to hurt her. And if Barry tried, Sam would help her put a stop to him so he didn't succeed.

He couldn't tell her all of that though; not just because it would mean admitting he knew the truth but because she'd once more drifted off to sleep. He leaned down to where her head rested on his chest and kissed her temple. She murmured sleepily but didn't move. He grinned at her. He'd never known her to be so quick to take naps during the day, but he guessed the day had been taxing enough that he couldn't fault her.

He glanced across the room to where Barry was sitting. The man was watching them with a knowing little smirk on his face. A smirk that Sam wanted to wipe off with his fist. He felt more than a little gratified to see the tell-tale imprint of Jules's hand still on Barry's cheek where she'd slapped him. The slap had been as uncharacteristic as her current nap but it had been as impressive as hell to watch.

Sam's eyes narrowed as he met Barry's gaze. The look he gave the other man couldn't be mistaken. _Jules is tough and finally happier than I've ever seen her. You might have hurt her, shaken her confidence in herself and others, but she's over you and what you did. You don't deserve to even be in the same city as she is, let alone the same room. I wasn't here when you hurt her but I wish I had been. Not only to watch her put you in your place but so that I could have wiped the floor with you for giving her a moment's pain. I wasn't there then, but I am here now. I swear to you; I'll be damned before I let you hurt her again. _


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Notes: Just a reminder that this story is set in the timeline of Season 5 between the episodes Sons of the Father and We Take Care of Our Own, closer to the latter rather than the former. Barry and Al are original characters though I'm willing to claim Al much more so than Barry. This chapter also starts off with a flashback to when Jules first joined the SRU and dated Barry. I don't know anything about kickboxing or martial arts fighting so please forgive any errors.

Disclaimer: The show Flashpoint and its characters were created by Mark Ellis and Stephanie Morgenstern and belong to them and the networks who air the episodes. Since the show has ended, our only way of getting new Flashpoint is through fan fiction. This story is my attempt to help fill the void, and the only profit I make is the warm fuzzy feeling reviews give me. Anything that does not come directly from the show is my own creation and should not be used without my permission.

What's Past is Now Present

Chapter 5

"_Barry, I don't understand. Where are we? What's here that you wanted me to see?" Jules Callaghan frowned as Barry Taggert pulled his convertible into a parking space out of a non-descript building in a run-down, almost neglected part of town. _

_The tall, muscular man flashed her a grin. "It's not what but who. I told you, Darling, I want you to meet my father. Or maybe more importantly, I want him to meet you. This is his place, or rather our place since we run it together. Taggert's Gym. _

_A brief moment of uncharacteristic panic filled Jules. Since the night she'd met Barry almost three weeks earlier, they had gone on several dates. She'd never dated anyone like Barry before. He not only didn't seem intimidated by her independence or career choice, but seemed to like her all the more because of it. He never grew tired of hearing her talk about how it was going as she started her new position with SRU. As much as she had to admit that she was smitten with him, she was a little intimidated as well at the moment. She didn't think she'd ever had a guy want to introduce her to his parents, or in his case parent. _

"_What if he doesn't like me?"_

_Barry laughed at her innocent question. "How could he not like you, Darling? He's going to adore you as much as I do. Trust me."_

_The two made their way inside the gym. Jules looked around. It wasn't anything like the workout area they had at SRU but it had a nice, homey feel to it. Reminded her more of the gym her mother had dragged her to for years as a little girl for gymnastics lessons. Switch out the boxing ring, free weights, and punching bags for balance beams, uneven bars, and pommel horses and it could have been her old gymnastic studio. _

_Barry's arm was casually slung over her shoulders as he guided her to the other side of the gym where an older man was coaching a teenager through what looked like complicated boxing moves. Jules watched in fascination as the boy executed what looked like high and powerful kicks to a cushion the older man was holding at chest level. _

"_Good, good. Watch your left leg; don't let it get too far behind you or you'll get off center and lose your balance. That's it. Just like that."_

_The older man seemed to notice their approach and told the younger man to take a break. After dropping his cushion, he crossed over to meet them, taking his red ball cap off with one hand as he held his other out to shake Jules's hand. "You must be the little spitfire my boy's been telling me about. It sure is nice to finally get to meet you."_

"_Dad, this is Jules Callaghan. Darling, this is my dad, Al."_

_The man's handshake was firm and enthusiastic and Jules couldn't help but grin. "Nice to meet you, Sir."_

_The older man's grin widened as he shook his head. "Trust me, the pleasure of meeting you is all mine. Bar told me you were beautiful and feisty but he left out the part about how you were raised right with manners and everything. Powerful combination if you ask me."_

_Jules flushed warmly. From the moment she'd met Barry, she'd felt an attraction she couldn't deny. For entirely different reasons, she immediately took a liking to his father. There was just something so warm and genuine about him that she felt immediately at ease. She looked around. "This is quite a place you've got here."_

_Al shrugged. "It usually pays the bills. It's good for the neighborhood though; gives the kids a place to blow off steam where it doesn't get them in trouble. Barry tells me you're a cop; you must know how kids can get if they don't have a place they feel safe."_

_Barry gave her a quick hug. "Dad, she's not just a cop; she's a member of the elite Strategic Response Unit. The best of the best, just where she should be. I've got to watch my p's and q's around her because Jules Callaghan is not someone you mess with."_

_Jules rolled her eyes. "Please. You make me sound like some sort of badass or something."_

_Al snorted. "Barry told me how the two of you met. Sounded pretty badass to me. I don't know many people who could successfully take on three guys at one time and come out on top. Maybe you're the one who should be showing Nicko over there some pointers instead of me."_

"_You should see her fight, Dad." Barry inserted, a note of pride obvious in his voice. "Raw talent like you've never seen. You saw the bruise she left on me and I practically tower over."_

_Jules blushed even more. "Barry, stop reminding me that I hurt you. It's not something I'm proud of."_

_Again Al snorted. "Don't worry about it, Kiddo. I'm sure my boy has done plenty that he deserves to be punched over. You ever do any kind of fight training?"_

"_Just the hand-to-hand we have to do as part of training. The rest just comes from growing up with four older brothers, on the job training there.. It's nothing major though. I don't know why Barry is even making such a big deal out of it. I just did what I had to do in order to keep from getting hurt."_

_The cap went back on Al's head and he nodded toward the boxing ring. "How's about letting me be the judge? Nicko is about your size and he's just starting out. How about the two of you face each other in the ring and let me see what ya got?"_

_For a moment Jules just looked at him, wondering if he was really serious. When Al called the boy he'd been training over and told him to bring sparring gear and a new mouth guard with him, Jules realized he was serious. Al grinned at Jules. "How about it, Jules? Don't worry, Nicko's tougher than he looks; you won't hurt him."_

"_Better give in to him, Darling." Barry faux whispered in her ear. "He can worry the warts off a toad if given half a chance. I learned a long time it's easier to just do what he asks than try to come up with reasons why not to."_

_Jules had to laugh. She had a feeling Barry had known exactly what Al would ask of her and probably knew that the older man's charm would be too much for her to resist. Now she understood why he'd suggested that she wear jogging pants and a t-shirt today. "Okay, sure why not. I should warn you though; when I fight, I fight to win."_

_Al clapped his hands together in glee. "I wouldn't expect anything less. Okay, just so you understand the rules. This is basically mixed form fighting. Anything goes with the exception of head shots or hits to the ba…sensitive male areas. Winner is either the first to pin the other for three seconds, unless the other taps out first."_

_Jules nodded as she donned the helmet and opened the mouth guard. "Sounds like most of my skirmishes with my brothers, only their heads or 'sensitive male areas' weren't off limits in my book."_

_Nicko and Jules entered the boxing ring. Barry helped her secure the boxing gloves and kissed her softly before she put the mouth guard in. "Give him hell, Darling."_

_He stepped out of the ring. Jules sized up her opponent. Height wise, Nicko probably had maybe an inch on her and maybe ten pounds weight wise. It was as fair a match up due to size as they could probably get without planning it before hand. Certainly a more even match up than she was getting when they practiced sparring at headquarters. The other guys on the team towered over her and had about forty or more pounds on her. _

_As soon as Al blew his whistle, Nicko kicked out with his right leg. The move happened so swiftly and fluidly that Jules never saw it coming. The toe of his foot collided with her shoulder. She went down to her knees but recovered quickly. As she came back up she couldn't help but marvel at the move he made. She countered with a side kick of her own which Nicko blocked. She frowned. Fighting Nicko was so different from the sparring she was used to. Even if it was just a fun fight, Jules Callaghan hated to lose. _

_For the next few minutes, they exchanged jabs and punches. Jules felt a little more on equal footing here. She managed to land several good shots to him while blocking most of his. She was blocking one such punch when his leg once more came out of nowhere with a knee jab to her stomach. She grunted as the wind was momentarily knocked out of her. Her eyes narrowed. She didn't like feeling bested by anyone, let alone someone who was no more than a kid._

_She remembered Al cautioning Nicko to watch the position of his anchoring foot when he kicked out. Remembered Al warning the boy that he would get off-balanced if he weren't careful. Maybe she could use that weakness against him. Once again, they returned to punches but she watched him carefully knowing eventually he would kick out again. As soon as he lifted his leg and began a roundhouse swing toward her shoulder once more, she ducked and surged forward, catching him in the chest with her shoulder. _

_Just as Al had warned him, the move caught Nicko off balance and he fell backward. Jules followed him down, taking advantage of his surprise and backward momentum with a rain of jabs and punches. For a moment she forgot that it was just a friendly fight and lost herself in the battle. Nicko tapped the mat three times and Al let out a whoop. Jules realized he had conceded the fight and sat back on her heels breathing hard._

_Al slapped Barry's back in obvious glee. "Did you see that? Did you see that? Mama Mia, she capitalized on his weakness and used it against him. I'll be damned. I saw it and I can't believe it."_

_Jules glanced over at him and then reached out to help Nicko sit up. She shook her head spitting out the mouth guard. "Did I do something wrong?"_

"_Wrong?" Al sputtered. He looked at Barry. "Did you hear that? She wants to know if she did something wrong? Boy howdy, how do you like that? Kiddo, are you sure you haven't had any formal training?"_

_Barry laughed and ducked between two of the ropes surrounding the boxing ring. He dropped to his knees next to Jules and gave her another kiss. "You didn't do anything wrong, Darling. That was brilliant. I haven't seen a fight that great in a long time and I include you taking care of those bastards the night we met in that. Don't mind Dad, he gets less than articulate when he's impressed."_

_Jules slipped off the boxing gloves and then wiped her forehead with the crook of her arm. "Impressed, why? I didn't do much."_

"_Didn't do much." Al scoffed, joining them in the ring. "Do you hear her, Barry? 'I didn't do much.' If what I just saw wasn't doing much, then I can't wait to see you mean business."_

_His enthusiasm should have been contagious but Jules was starting to feel the adrenaline that had been surging through her since the fight started begin to fade. With its decline, she was beginning to feel a little of the ache from the blows she'd taken during the fight. She was pretty sure there would be bruises in at least a couple of places by tomorrow but she didn't mind. They were nothing compared to the almost headiness she felt at having successfully taken down her younger competitor. She looked over at Al. "Want to put the gloves on and give it a try?"_

_Barry laughed out loud. "How about it, Dad? You feel lucky?"_

_Al gave another snort. "She's got some sass in her too. A regular little sassafras. You might just get your wish yet. Seriously though, you've never had any formal training? Damn, I can't even begin to imagine what your potential could be if your energy and spirit were harnessed into a little training."_

"_Al's right." Nicko added as he removed his sparring gear. He was also breathing hard. "You got skill. I thought when I landed that first kick, it was going to be a piece of cake. I was wrong, Man. You knocked me on my as…" Al glared at him sharply and he quickly edited himself. "…my butt before I ever saw it coming. You're already ready for competition but with a little training, ain't nobody who could beat you."_

"_Nicko's right, Darling. I know most of the female competitors out there. They don't have anything on you."_

_Hearing their praise both embarrassed and elated Jules. There was no question that she was a highly competitive person although she competed first and foremost with herself. "Competition? What do you mean?"_

"_Mixed form tournaments and such." Nicko explained. "You gotta be sponsored by a gym or trainer but it's big deal stuff. Trophies and cash prizes and such. Al said I might be ready to compete in my first tournament next month. Though he might change his mind after our fight today."_

"_You'll be ready, Kid," Al assured him. "You did great today. Go on and hit the showers. I don't want you late for work because of me."_

_Nicko nodded. He shook Jules's hand before receiving a good-natured slap on the back from both Al and Barry. Once he disappeared down the hall towards what Jules assumed was the locker room, Al indicated the boy with a nod of his head. "Good kid that Nicko. His dad bailed on the family three years ago. His mom works three jobs to support herself, Nicko, and his four younger sisters. Nicko was going to drop out of school so he could work full time to help her. Kid's only fourteen, but he felt like he was the man of the family and had to pitch in. I talked him into staying in school and helped him get a job as a stock boy at one of the local stores, despite him being too young. Working out here is about the only downtime he gets."_

"_Dad's the Mother Teresa of the neighborhood. Most of the families in the area have some sort of situation that makes things tough at home. He does what he can to help out." There was an obvious note of pride in his voice, deeper even than the one she'd heard when he was bragging about her fighting ability._

_Al shrugged off the praise. "I don't do that much. What do you say, Sass? Let me train you?"_

_Jules was tempted. The fight with Nicko had felt good, better even than sparring at work. Perhaps it would even give her an edge with the team, an edge she felt could only be helpful. Team One had seemed to accept her but she knew all eyes were on her as the first woman to make the cool pants. Still… "I don't know how good a student I'd be. You can ask Barry, my hours are crazy long and my shifts aren't always consistent."_

_Al's lopsided grin was contagious. "Lucky for you, I have no life outside the gym. I'll work with you any hour of the day any time you can give me."_

_Barry's phone chirped. He glanced at the display. "I gotta take this. Be right back." He kissed the top of Jules's head. "Listen to him, Darling. He doesn't take no for an answer."_

_As Barry left the ring, Al called after him. "Sure I do, but only when it's the answer I want to hear." He chuckled. "He's a good kid. Works too hard, both with his pharmaceutical sales and helping me around here."_

_Jules rose off the mat, removing the rest of her sparring gear. "You had a big hand in him becoming a good man from what I hear. Barry told me you raised him alone after his mom died."_

_Al nodded, looking a little sad. "Maria would be proud of him. No kid should lose his mom at age five but I did my best with him. Bar said you lost your mother as well."_

_Jules nodded. It still amazed her that Barry had managed to get her to open up about her childhood in such a short amount of time. "Not as young. I was sixteen but it was still hard. Al, be honest with me. Why do you want to train me so badly? Am I really that good?"_

_Nicko emerged from the locker room and shouted out a goodbye to them as he left. Then Al put an arm round Jules's shoulders giving her a sideways hug. "Yeah, Sassafras, you really are that good. I know a good thing when I see it and you are better than a good thing. But it's more than that. You make my boy happy, happier than I've seen him in a while. For that I owe you much more than I could ever pay back. Besides, I saw the light in your eyes as you were fighting. You weren't just enjoying yourself; it was like you were discovering yourself. I want to be a part of that. It's up to you though. Despite my son's claim that I can't take no for an answer, if this isn't something you want to pursue, say so. I won't pressure you, and I won't think less of you."_

_An excitement rose inside Jules, only just slightly less intense than what she'd felt when she'd gotten the call that she'd made the SRU. She grinned back at Al. "Yeah, I think I want to try this. If you can put up with my schedule then I'm interested in letting you train me."_

"_Hot damn!"_

- FP - FP - FP -

Two hours had passed since Sam had arrived at the hospital. Two hours in which there had been no word on Al's condition. Two hours in which he'd watched the woman he loved run the gamut of negative emotions. He almost felt like he was in the company of a ticking time bomb. A bomb he didn't think even Spike could be successful in defusing.

Currently, Jules was pacing back and forth. She'd woken up from her nap seemingly not only recharged with energy but with an excess that needed depleting. Sam was getting dizzy watching her take ten steps in one direction before turning and taking the same ten steps back again. He couldn't take his eyes off of her though. If he did, he knew his gaze would fall on Barry sitting on the other side of the waiting room. If he did that, he would be forced to acknowledge that the other man's eyes never left Jules either. If he was forced to acknowledge that, he would be too tempted to start something that would prove he knew exactly what had happened between Barry and Jules.

Maybe he should just go ahead and tell Jules that he knew. Maybe it would ease some of the stress she was feeling. Before he could decide if it would help or hurt the current situation, Jules ceased her pacing and practically threw herself into the space she'd vacated next to him on the couch. He reached over and squeezed her hand.

"He's going to be okay. I'm sure the surgery is taking so long because the doctors want to get everything right. No sense taking chances with rushing, right?"

She nodded. "I know. I just hate not knowing. I feel useless and you know I can't stand that. I can't fix him and I can't even begin to figure out who is responsible for hurting him. If only I hadn't decided to take a shower before we ate, things might have been different. Maybe I could have prevented him from getting hurt or at least seen who the shooter was."

It was old ground, but Sam would listen to her argument as many times as she needed to express it. He would also continue to remind her of the obvious each time as well. "Don't second guess yourself, Jules. You couldn't have known this was going to happen. If the subject or subjects had known you were there, they probably would have shot you as well. Al wouldn't have wanted that, and we both know that I'm a lot worse at this waiting game than you are; especially when you are the one that's hurt."

Jules blew out her breath in frustration. She knew he was right; just as he'd been right the other times he'd said the same things. But knowing he was right and being able to accept it were two different things. "Don't take this the wrong way, 'cause it's not like I wish I'd been hurt, but I can handle me being the one who's injured so much better than when it's someone I care about."

Sam reached his hand up to cup the side of her head, pressing it against his chest. He leaned down to kiss her temple. "I understand completely. I'd rather face a thousand bullets without my vest than see you hurt, either physically or emotionally. If I could find the answers you need, I would, whatever it took."

Jules looked up at him, her brown eyes shining. "You being here helps more than you could know. God, Sam, this is just so unfair. I don't think I've ever met anyone as unselfish as Al Taggert. There's this kid, Nicko; he believes he got a full scholarship to college, but really Al's been paying his tuition secretly. I'm probably the only one who even knows he's doing it. He told me the kid has too much potential to let a little thing like money get in the way."

"Nicko's not the first kid who's gotten the Al Taggert secret scholarship." Barry piped up from his seat across the waiting room. "My father would rather take out loans against the gym than see a kid fall through the cracks."

Sam's arm tightened around Jules. He wanted to tell Barry to shut up. The bastard shouldn't even be in the same room as Jules let alone talking to her or listening to her conversation. Before he could say anything though, Jules sat up stiffly.

"Yeah, well some people care more about people than money. Used to be a time I thought you shared Al's feelings. There was definitely a time when you at least admired that about him. Maybe you never did though; maybe it was all an act."

Barry's eyes narrowed. He stood and crossed the room. Pushing the remnants of the meal Sarge had brought them aside, Barry sat down on the edge of the table. His hands were on his knees. "Don't play the Miss High and Mighty act with me, Darling. You and I both know you aren't as innocent as you want people to think you are." He barely glanced at Sam. "I suppose she's told you her own twisted version of what a demon I am. Better watch out. She looks all sweet, sexy, and innocent, but she's really a little vixen when she wants to be. She'll turn on you in a heartbeat."

Sam could feel Jules literally shaking next to him. His own anger - and his blood pressure - was rising as well. How dare the asshole try to blame Jules for anything that had happened? The slap Jules gave him earlier would be nothing compared to the world of hurt he would lay on him.

The waiting room door opened, and a doctor in a white coat stepped inside. "Family of Al Taggert?"


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Notes: Summer break is finally here so I'm looking forward to having more time for writing. I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's a little on the long side but hopefully worth the read. Thanks for all the reviews, they mean a lot to me.

Disclaimer: The show Flashpoint and its characters were created by Mark Ellis and Stephanie Morgenstern and belong to them and the networks who air the episodes. Since the show has ended, our only way of getting new Flashpoint is through fan fiction. This story is my attempt to help fill the void, and the only profit I make is the warm fuzzy feeling reviews give me. Anything that does not come directly from the show is my own creation and should not be used without my permission.

What's Past is Now Present

Chapter 6

Barry rose and swirled to face the doctor. For a half a second, Jules didn't move and Sam wondered if she was going to respond to the doctor's call. Then she slowly rose as well. Sam joined her, keeping an arm reassuringly around her waist.

"I'm Barry Taggert, Al's my father."

The doctor nodded. "Fine, if you and Miss Callaghan will follow me, we'll step down the hall to the consultation room and I'll tell you about your father's surgery."

Barry didn't look down at Jules but shook his head. "I don't think you understand, I'm his son but she's not related to him at all. She doesn't get to hear about his condition unless I decide to tell her."

Usually Barry was the type of person that immediately won people over, but in this case, the surgeon didn't seem impressed. "Miss Callaghan might not be related but she has something more important - Mr. Taggert's medical proxy. That gives her more right to hear about his condition than you do. If you will come with me, I want to be as detailed as I can but I do have other patients to see as well."

Sam released his hold on Jules's waist. He wanted to go with her, didn't want her to have to hear any potential bad news alone and certainly didn't want her in Barry's company any more than she absolutely had to be. He didn't try to follow though. His name wasn't on the proxy and he knew Barry would push the issue. It wasn't fair to waste the doctor's time with arguments. Jules would know he was there for her and that he would be waiting as soon as the doctor was finished.

As Jules started to follow the doctor from the waiting room, she reached her hand back to give Sam's hand a squeeze. She understood why he wasn't coming with her and knew it was hard for him to make that decision. She loved him all the more for it and wanted him to know she understood. Once in the consultation room, Jules couldn't bring herself to sit. She was too nervous by what the doctor might have to say and just being in such close proximity to Barry was enough to keep her blood boiling. She had to ignore Barry though. He wasn't important; Al was.

"How's my father?" Barry pressed as soon as the doctor closed the door.

The surgeon sighed. "He made it through surgery. I won't lie to you; I think that's a miracle in itself. I truly wasn't sure he would."

Relief surged through Jules and she sank into a chair. "I told you he was tough. I knew he would be okay."

"He's not out of the woods just yet." The doctor warned. "Yes, he survived surgery but the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours will be critical. The bullets did massive damage. Obviously he's a fighter; he wouldn't have made it through surgery if he wasn't, but I can't make any guarantees at this point."

"How bad?" Barry asked, looking shaken.

"The bullet to his shoulder tore through his rotator cuff. He'll need extensive physical therapy in order to regain full range of motion. One bullet punctured his lung causing it to collapse. I was able to remove the bullet and re-inflate the lung. I put in a chest tube to help keep it inflated as it heals. A third bullet came dangerously close to hitting his heart. It did hit the pericardium. Again, I was able to remove the bullet, but I am concerned about complications. His condition is extremely critical at this point. It's just too early to know if he's going to recover. I'm sorry; I wish I had better news."

"Can I see him?" Barry's voice was quieter than Jules had ever heard him. There was a slight pinch to his tone and she knew in that moment that no matter what had transpired between father and son, Barry still loved his father.

The doctor considered the question. "For a few minutes once we get him moved to ICU. I have to warn you though; he won't be conscious. We'll be keeping him sedated to give his body a chance to recover. We have him on a ventilator."

Jules paled. Ventilator? A machine was breathing for him? When the surgeon had asked her before surgery about Al's wishes when it came to life support, she hadn't been able to bring herself to say what she knew Al would have said if he'd been able to. Al would have said "hell no" to the idea of any machines keeping him alive. She, however, couldn't bring herself to go to those extremes. Would Al forgive her? As long as he was alive to make that choice, she'd deal with his reactions when they came.

"Are you saying my father can't breathe on his own?" Barry actually looked as pale as Jules felt.

The doctor shook his head. "No, that's not what I'm saying at all. The ventilator is precautionary. Mr. Taggert is breathing on his own but with the injury to his lung, I didn't want him exerting himself. The ventilator is assisting his breathing, not breathing for him. That and the chest tube will give his lung time to heal and hopefully prevent pneumonia from setting in. I have to get back to surgery now, but I will be checking on Mr. Taggert regularly. I'll have a nurse let you know when you can see him."

He eyed the two for a moment. He didn't know the story but he could tell there was animosity between the two; could have seen it even if the son hadn't tried to keep the young woman from finding out about his patient. "It might be better if the two of you see him separately. Even unconscious, it's possible that Mr. Taggert will be able to hear what goes on his room. The last thing he needs is any more stress; it's one of the reasons we're keeping him sedated. If he becomes agitated, then the nurse will ask you to leave. I know you are both worried but his health is our priority."

Jules nodded her understanding. She wouldn't do anything to jeopardize Al's recovery. She reached her hand out to shake the surgeon's hand. "Thank you for everything you did."

He returned the gesture and smiled at her. "You kept him alive until he could get here. That and his strength saved him more than anything I did."

After the surgeon left, Barry turned to Jules, a frown on his face. "What did he mean; you kept him alive. Did your team respond? Were you the one who found him?"

Jules sighed. He sounded more like the man she'd once cared for. Apparently when Donna had questioned him earlier, she hadn't told him the full story of what had happened at the gym. "I found him but it wasn't my team who responded. I was at the gym when the shooting occurred. I didn't even know there was a problem until it was too late. By the time I got to him, he was laying on the floor bleeding to death. All I could do was apply pressure and hope the paramedics got there in time."

"Apparently you did a good job, Darling." His tone was soft, no hint of his earlier antagonism. He moved as if to hug her but Jules took a step back.

"I'm going back to the waiting room. Sam will want to know how he is."

He cocked an eyebrow. "That's not weird? Your new boyfriend sitting out there waiting with you on word about your former boyfriend's father?"

"No," Jules's voice was cool. "He's there waiting with me on word about a dear friend who is also his friend. Sam doesn't even know about you. You don't factor into it at all because you don't matter at all. You're just a lesson learned and forgotten and the only good thing that came out of knowing you was meeting Al."

He just looked at her for a moment, his expression almost hurt. Then he shook his head. "You never could lie, Darling. You haven't forgotten anything about our time together even if you do want to twist it into something it wasn't. You might not care about me the way you once did but you still have feelings. And as for Sam, I saw the way he was looking at me in there. He was ready to lay into me just because I was there. Maybe I should invite him into the ring for a round or two. It's been awhile since I've had a chance to put my fighting skills to use. I bet I could have him pinned in under two minutes."

Jules's eyes narrowed. She hated for people to misjudge Sam as much as she hated for them to misjudge her. "Don't be too sure of that. Sam's SRU just like me. He wouldn't even break a sweat taking care of you. Look, Barry, I don't want to stand here and exchange barbs with you. It's been a hell of a day and from what the doctor says it's still going to be some time before we know for sure Al is okay. I know you are worried about your father. Do you really think it's a good idea for you to see him? The doctor seemed pretty insistent that Al shouldn't be upset, and you know if he knows you are there, he'll be agitated."

She thought he was going to protest but instead he stuck his hands in his jean's pockets and sighed. "Yeah, Dad's never been one to hide his feelings. I have to see him though. I have to know he's okay. Call me selfish but I have to do this. I won't say a word to him and he won't know I'm there. I'm not going to upset him; I just have to check on him."

Jules didn't like it but she understood how he felt. She just hoped it wouldn't have a negative effect on Al. "Whatever. I'm going back to Sam."

As soon as she left the room, Barry reached for his phone. He searched through his contacts until he found the number he was looking for. He waited impatiently until someone answered. "I thought I told you to let me handle things. Hurting my dad wasn't necessary and is not the way to get me to do what you want." He paused and listened to the reply. "Yeah, well, it's going to backfire on you. Dad wasn't alone in the gym. There was someone else there; an SRU officer and she saw everything. It's only a matter of time before she figures out everything and gets her entire team after you."

- FP - FP - FP -

When Jules came back into the waiting room, she was surprised to see Ed sitting there with Sam. Both men rose when they saw her enter. She slowly made her way across the room to join them. Sam hugged her. "Well?"

"He's critical but alive." It probably wasn't as detailed as Sam wanted but she couldn't dwell on the specific injuries. She knew that while her own wounds from being shot a few years ago hadn't been as bad, she'd been lucky to survive. She didn't want to contemplate what Al's more serious injuries could mean. She glanced at Ed. "What are you doing here?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, she worried he would take her surprise as criticism. "Not that I'm not glad to see you, but how did you know?"

Ed leaned over and kissed the side of her head and gave her arm a squeeze. "Greg called me earlier and told me what happened. I wanted to come earlier but I was watching Izzy and didn't think we needed her running around here. She's reached that stage where just about the only time she's still is when she's asleep. You doing okay?"

She nodded, grateful as always that she had such good friends. "Yeah. I'd be doing better if Al was out of danger or we knew who was responsible."

Ed nodded; he'd talked to Donna after talking to Greg and knew Team 3 had gotten nowhere with determining who was responsible. She'd also told him how Jules had broken cover to check on Al before knowing the scene was secured. He understood why she'd done it; knew that Al probably wouldn't have survived if she hadn't, but that didn't change the danger she'd put herself in. "We'll talk later about you not following orders to stay put until the scene was cleared. I'm just glad you weren't hurt so we can have that conversation."

Jules resisted the urge to roll her eyes. As overprotective as Sam was where she was concerned, she sometimes thought that Ed could give him a run for his money. In the first few years after she joined Team One, he'd really taken her under his wing. While he'd been careful not to treat her differently from the rest of the team in front of everybody, if she had a bad call or something major was going on, he'd made sure to check on her privately. In the last couple of years, he hadn't checked on her nearly as often and she'd often wondered if it was because he knew she now had Sam to keep an eye on her when things got rough.

Ed continued, "I talked to Donna; she said there's nothing to go on."

Jules chewed on her bottom lip. "I've been thinking about that. The doctor who operated on Al indicated they are probably going to keep him sedated for awhile. That means Donna's not going to be able to question him for awhile. I really want to get whoever was responsible, especially before they decide to come back and finish the job."

"Donna's got officers posted on the hospital, remember?" Sam reminded her, rubbing her arm comfortingly. "No one is going to touch him while he's here."

"I know; but that doesn't help us catch who is responsible. I think I have an idea how we might draw them out."

Ed raised an eyebrow. "I have a feeling I'm not going to like this." Sam echoed the sentiment.

Jules ignored him. "We get the media to release some information when they report the shooting. Have them announce that I was there and saw everything. If whoever was responsible thinks there was a witness who could identify him…"

"Hell no!" Sam interrupted. Ed added his own protests.

"Not happening and you know it. We would never release that kind of information to the media even if it were true. Besides the fact that there is no way we would set you up as bait when we don't know who the players are, we can't lie to the press. We'd never get their cooperation again if they found out we used them."

Now Jules did roll her eyes. She plopped down on the couch and rubbed the bridge of her nose. When had she developed a headache? "I can take care of myself."

Sam sat down beside her and pulled her close. "Neither one of us doubts that, Jules. You know that. Obviously whoever shot Al means business and short of putting you in full body armor, there's no way to adequately protect you."

"We've got to do something to flush them out."

Ed knelt in front of her and touched her knee. "We will, but without endangering you in the process. I'm thankful they didn't know you were there because I'd hate to think what they might have done."

"Fine, it was just a suggestion." Jules grumbled. The two men exchanged a look, relieved that they had won the battle but also amused that she'd thought they would ever agree to it in the first place.

"You two have been here awhile." Ed continued. "You need anything? Something to eat or drink? I can run get something."

"I'm good," Sam assured him. He looked down at Jules, knowing she'd been too worried earlier to eat much of the sandwich Greg had brought her. "Jules?"

She shook her head. She was pretty sure Sam would insist on her eating something substantial before too long but she was still too worried to force anything down. "They're going to get me when I can see Al for a few minutes. Maybe after that."

Ed nodded and moved to a chair next to the couch. The waiting room door opened and once more Barry entered. He returned to his seat on the opposite side of the room without even glancing in their direction. Ed's eyes narrowed. He recognized him immediately even though years had passed since the other man had dropped by the station to pick up Jules.

There had been something about the guy that had rubbed him the wrong way from the moment Ed had met him. Maybe it was the way he called Jules "Darling" or maybe he had just reminded Ed too much about the athletes he'd known in his college days that seemed to expect all the girls to fall all over them. As much as he wanted the first female rookie to be happy, he just hadn't trusted the guy she'd chosen to have that happiness with. He could still remember seeing red when Wordy first shared his own concerns with him.

- FP - FP - FP -

"_Come on, Timothy, we can work this out." Sergeant Gregory Parker_ _stayed a step behind Jules Callaghan who was acting as his shield for this negotiation. "We just want to resolve things so we can all go home. That's what you want, right?"_

"_Get the hell out of here or I swear I'll blow her head off and then all of yours as well. This doesn't concern any of you. I just want to be alone with my wife so she can explain why she chose my business partner over me." The angry man pressed the muzzle of his pistol harder against the woman's temple and she whimpered loudly. _

_Jules took a deep breath, steadying her nerves. It wasn't her first call out since joining Team One but so far it was the first one that she couldn't see ending peacefully. Her M4 was at the ready, no sign of any shakiness in her hands. "Sarge, he's not de-escalating. I have the solution."_

"_No joy from my angle." Ed reported over the headsets. "I'm going to have to reposition."_

"_Copy that, Ed. Jules, hold for my call." Greg acknowledged. "Sir, we can't leave, not while you have that gun in your possession. Anyway, I don't think you would get the kind of answers you want from her. You put the gun down and let her go. Then after everything has calmed down, maybe she can tell you what you want to know."_

"_Shut the fuck up." The man removed the gun from the woman's temple and leveled it at Greg. _

_Jules stiffened. "Sarge?"_

"_If he looks like he's going to pull the trigger then Scorpio. Hold as long as possible."_

_She gave an almost imperceptible nod. She'd known from the time that she'd decided to become a police officer that the time might come when she was forced to take a life. It hadn't happened while she'd been with the RCMP for which she was grateful. Once she'd transferred to SRU, the odds of it happening became even greater. She was just waiting for word that she'd passed all the qualifications for being a sniper but once she did, having to make the difficult shot would have to almost be second nature to her. If she was forced to neutralize this subject, she would do it but she wasn't looking forward to it. _

_His finger tightened on the trigger. Multiple shots rang out almost simultaneously. Jules felt herself being flung backward before landing on her butt on the ground. She couldn't catch her breath and darkness nibbled at her consciousness. She shook her head trying to keep the darkness from consuming her._

"_Officer down, officer down. Get EMS." Greg's voice rang out worriedly. He wanted to check on her personally, but he had a responsibility to the victim as well. He glanced back at Wordy who had been right beside them the whole time.. "Wordy, check her."_

_Kevin "Wordy" Wordsworth was already kneeling beside her, his expression worried. "Jules?"_

"'_kay." Why was it so hard to speak, let alone breathe? "Not hit."_

_Wordy snorted. "Yeah, you were. Your vest caught it though." He looked over to Greg, who was consoling the wife of their subject. "She's okay. Just bruised and winded."_

_Greg nodded. "Take her to the medics, make sure she gets checked out before SIU gets their claws on both of you. You did good, Kiddo. Proud of you."_

_Wordy started to scoop her up in his arms but Jules shook her head. "I c'n walk."_

_It was on the tip of his tongue to argue with her. Her Kevlar might have saved her suffering from serious injury but he knew from experience how much it still hurt even if the bullet was stopped. One thing he'd learned about his female colleague in the months she'd been on the team was that arguing with her was pointless. He helped her to her feet knowing she wouldn't be able to walk to the waiting stretcher. When her knees buckled after two steps, he picked her up bridal style. "Let me feel useful here. Boss would have killed me if he'd seen me let you walk anyway."_

_He set her on the stretcher as two medics converged on her. In seconds, they had the vest off of her and one had a pair of scissors in his hand ready to cut away her uniform shirt. Again Jules protested. "I'll…it. Don't cut."_

_She wished her words would come better. She couldn't help but remember the day when she'd been maybe ten and had pranked one of her brothers. He'd gotten mad and chased after her. As she'd run, she'd looked back over her shoulder to see how much a head start she had and missed seeing just how close she was to the fence line. The broad beam of the fence had caught her right across the chest sending her flying backwards. By the time her brother had caught up with her, he'd been too worried that she'd been seriously hurt to want revenge. It had taken her almost thirty minutes to recover but the bruise across her chest had lasted for weeks. _

"_Don't worry about it Jules. The department doesn't mind replacing uniforms. You'll have to give it up for the investigation anyway. Let the medic do his job."_

"_Wordsworth, you know subject officers can't speak until after the investigation."_

_Jules rested her head on the back of the stretcher. What was the man talking about? Why didn't he want Wordy talking to her? It was too hard to think with her chest hurting the way it was. She closed her eyes, ready to let the medics do what they had to do to clear her. She could figure everything else out later. The medic removed her uniform top and she was glad she had a tank top on underneath it. _

_Wordy swore inwardly as his newest teammate's upper body was exposed. Her shoulders, arms, chest seemed to be covered with bruises. Bruises that were in various stages of healing and different from the hell of the bruise she would have from the vest stopping the bullet. He could only think of one reason for her to be that bruised up. Anger rose up in him and he wanted to question her about it right then. Only the fact that Inspector Stainton was enforcing the gag rule for officer-involved shootings kept him from going straight to her side. As he was led away to be questioned, he vowed to get to the bottom of those bruises one way or another._

_- FP - FP - FP -_

"_They finally get tired of asking the same questions over and over again, Kiddo?" _

_Jules looked up at Ed Lane as she left the interview room. She hadn't even been aware that the one shot she'd managed to fire before getting hit in the chest had connected with the subject until the paramedics released her and SIU had insisted that she come with them. Once she'd arrived at the interview room, she'd put the pieces together and realized that she and Wordy, who had been standing just to the side of Greg also covering the team, had fired almost at the same time when it became obvious Timothy was about to shoot at them. Both had successfully found their mark and neutralized the subject, but Jules had also been hit by one of the bullets Timothy had managed to fire. _

"_Is it horrible for me to say I think I prefer taking one to the vest than dealing with SIU? That was intense." _

_Ed laughed. "Yeah well, I understand the need for it but sometimes they can get a little overboard. I also think they make a point of making the first post-shooting interview you have to go through incredibly rough. Most of the time, it's simply routine. Wordy's been through with his for about thirty minutes now. You okay? The first time is always pretty hard, and I don't mean the SIU investigation."_

_Jules nodded. "I wish we could have ended things peacefully today but it was obvious Timothy wasn't having any of it. Maybe it'll hit me later but right now I know I did the only thing I could."_

"_You did. I don't think any of us ever wants to take a life. Sometimes though, it comes down to not everyone is going to make it home. If it comes down to the life of the subject versus the lives of the person being threatened or the team, then there's really no choice. Doesn't make it easy by any stretch of the imagination but it does usually absolve a little of the guilt. If it starts to bother you later, I'm here if you need to talk."_

"_Doctor Luria just told me essentially the same thing. Somehow, you offering doesn't make me feel as threatened as when she does it."_

_Ed had to chuckle. "While we all like the doc as a person, I don't think any of us like being on the patient side of dealing with her. She's good though, don't hesitate to call her if you need her."_

_He had to say it in an official capacity but he was pretty sure Jules was enough like him to never actually do so. He could tell simply by the way she was holding herself that she was hurting from getting injured during the call. He raised an eyebrow. "How are you feeling? Wordy also said you got hit pretty good with that bullet."_

"_Better than I would have been without the Kevlar." Jules answered truthfully. "I won't lie, I feel like an elephant sat on my chest, and I can't wait to get home and take a nice long hot shower and crawl into bed. I know the team was going to go out for drinks tonight but I really think I would do better sitting out on the fun this time."_

_Ed nodded. "I had a feeling that would be the case. I already told the others to go on ahead. I'll join them later. I wanted to check on you and to give you this before you left." He handed her a new uniform shirt. "Wordy said you were pretty worried about the paramedics cutting up your other one."_

_Jules blushed. She was more than a little embarrassed that anyone had caught her at less than her best. She was glad that SIU had provided her with a t-shirt and pants to put on after they had taken the rest of her uniform as evidence. "Yeah, well, I was still a little out of it then."_

_She unfolded the garment and stared at it in surprise. This uniform shirt was sporting a patch that hadn't been on her other one. Her breath caught in her throat and she looked back at Ed in surprise. "Ed?"_

_His grin was infectious. "I was going to give you this tonight at the Goose in front of everyone. Congratulations, Jules, you passed all your qualifications and you are now officially Team One's second sniper. I'm glad to be able to share the duty with you."_

_Without thinking she threw her arms around him and gave him a hug. Then she groaned as the move aggravated her bruise. She released him and put a hand to her chest to try to ease the pain. Ed noticed. Putting a hand on her shoulder, he steered her into an empty interview room and motioned for her to sit. He perched on the edge of the table._

"_Listen Jules, there's something else that Wordy was quick to tell me about as soon as he was finished with SIU. Something that has him concerned and, frankly, worries me as well. We aren't just a team around here as you've probably realized. We're a family. If one member of the family is hurting or in trouble, we all rally behind him - or her. You know you can tell me anything, right?"_

_Jules nodded, unsure where this was going. "Ed, I appreciate it. I have to admit, when I first joined the team, I was worried about how I was going to fit in since I was the only female. It hasn't always been easy but not because of anything the team has done. I feel like I belong here."_

_Ed's gaze never left her. "I'm glad to hear that. I'd be lying if I said none of us had concerns when you first went through the trials. But you more than demonstrated you could do the job during the recruitment process and we knew we were picking the right person to join the team. We haven't been disappointed either. You more than prove yourself every day. That's why I hate to think something's wrong. Your personal life should be just that, but I can't ignore the obvious. If someone is hurting you…"_

_The expression on Jules's face was complete puzzlement. "Ed, no one is hurting me. Where is this even coming from?"_

"_Wordy saw the bruises, Jules. Is it Barry?"_

_Suddenly she realized what he was insinuating. She wanted to get angry but she couldn't fault him for his concern. "Barry wouldn't hurt me, Ed. Seriously, do you really think I'm the type of person who would stay with someone who hit me?"_

_Ed folded his arms across his chest. "Normally no. I know though that sometimes people get into situations they never expected to be in. And once there, they don't know how to get out without admitting things got out of hand. I worked with a guy before coming to SRU, an officer not much smaller than I am. His son got involved in drugs and would get violent while on a drug high. My buddy didn't want to hurt his son so ge wouldn't hit back; he'd just take the abuse. He hated what was happening but didn't know how to admit things were bad. He worried what people on the force would think so he said nothing. It wasn't until his son hit rock bottom and almost died of an overdose before my buddy was able to get help for his son and the rest of the family. Trust me when I say he would have been the last person I suspected anything was going on, until now. Level with me Jules. Wordy saw the bruises so there's no denying something is going on. I won't think less of you and I won't tell anyone else if you don't want me to. If Barry…"_

"_Barry has never hit me, Ed." Jules was quick to assure him. "Trust me, if someone was hurting me, I wouldn't stay with him, no matter how embarrassed I might be. I won't deny I've got a lot of bruises but it's not what Wordy or you are thinking. I'm okay. It's nothing to worry about."_

_Even in the short amount of time Ed had worked with Jules, he knew she wasn't the type to lie when directly confronted with a question. If she said Barry wasn't hurting her then he believed her, but he couldn't completely shake the memory of the anger and pain he'd seen in Wordy's eyes when his friend had told him about the bruises either. "I could worry a lot less if you told me how you got the bruises. If you are involved in something that's hurting you, then it could affect the team and I should know about it." If she wouldn't confide in him for her own sake, maybe he could appeal to her sense of duty._

_Jules frowned. "I promise you, Ed, it's nothing either dangerous or illegal, nothing that could affect the team. If Wordy saw the bruises then he should know they were all old. Have they interfered with my ability to do the job at all?"_

"_No," Ed had to admit. "If Wordy hadn't seen the bruises, none of us would have had any idea anything was wrong. But he did see them and something like that can't be ignored. Why don't you tell me why you don't want to tell me what's going on."_

_Jules sighed. "I don't want the rest of the team making a big deal about it. You know, like how everyone gives Pete a hard time about his dirt bike racing? This is something I do for myself and while I'm not embarrassed or ashamed or anything like that, I just want to keep it separate from work. You know?"_

"_You promise me you aren't involved in anything dangerous and it's not something I should worry about?" Ed demanded, watching her carefully. She didn't even blink an eye when she assured him it was nothing like that at all. Ed nodded. It went against everything in him to grant her a reprieve but he didn't see anyway around it. "Okay, I won't push the issue unless I see it's interfering with your work. Just promise me, Jules; if you find yourself in over your head, you'll come to me. I won't judge but I will help you."_

_Jules smiled, relieved to have been given the respite. Training with Al had turned out to be more fun than she'd expected. She'd also proven to be a quick study and Al had decided she was ready for competition. She'd only been in two tournaments so far but she'd won both of them. The bruises were just an unavoidable by product of competing, more than worth the slight pain for the thrill of competition. It wasn't like she wanted to hide the information from the team, but she knew if the team knew she was competing, they would insist on coming to watch. She'd gone a couple of times when Pete was competing in a dirt bike race. She'd seen how the team could get when cheering on a teammate. To say it was exuberant and over the top was an understatement. She was pretty sure their presence would just make her more nervous and affect her performance. It was daunting enough having Barry and Al there. "I promise you Ed. I'm not going to get in over my head. It really isn't that big a deal. If I'm wrong, I promise I'll come to you before it has a chance to interfere with the job."_

_Ed wasn't completely happy with that, but he would have to live with it. "Okay then. Get out of here and get some rest. If you need to talk about what happened today or anything else, I'm here."_

_Jules nodded. She appreciated the offer but she couldn't imagine ever having to take him up on it._


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Notes: More information is revealed in this chapter, but not everything. Hope it doesn't disappoint. Thanks for the reviews; they mean a lot to me. Hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: The show Flashpoint and its characters were created by Mark Ellis and Stephanie Morgenstern and belong to them and the networks who air the episodes. Since the show has ended, our only way of getting new Flashpoint is through fan fiction. This story is my attempt to help fill the void, and the only profit I make is the warm fuzzy feeling reviews give me. Anything that does not come directly from the show is my own creation and should not be used without my permission.

What's Past is Now Present

Chapter 7

"_Seriously? Explain to me again why you thought this would be my idea of fun?" Ed Lane complained to his brother Roy as they settled into metal folding chairs about four rows back from a boxing ring._

_Roy shrugged. "Give it a try, Eddie. I told you, my partner is competing tonight and I promised him I'd come watch him. After his match, if you aren't having fun, we can leave and find something else to do. I think you'll be surprised though. I've been coming to these tournaments for months now, and some of the matches are better than what you can find on the televised fights. Especially the women's matches. I swear Eddie, watching two chicks fight is pretty hot."_

_Ed rolled his eyes. He enjoyed spending time with his brother- between marriage, family and the job, he didn't get as many opportunities as he used to - but he had to question his brother's definition of fun sometimes. "In case you've forgotten, Roy, I'm happily married."_

_Roy snorted. "Married, yes; dead, not yet. Although sometimes I wonder. There's nothing wrong with looking; and let me tell you there's a whole lot of fine looking at these matches. There's this one chick I noticed the last tournament I came to. Talk about hot with a capital H-O-T. She was like a machine in the ring. Like a woman possessed. I thought the other girl was going to take her without a problem. She was more experienced and has a hell of a record. But this chick I'm talking about was incredible. Never let up from the first bell. Anyone who bet on her that night won a lot of money let me tell you."_

_Ed frowned. "Bet?"_

"_Hell yeah. My partner was telling me all about it. It's not official and the fighters and promoters aren't involved with any of it but it's a pretty big deal. Odds are based on a fighter's record. Just like horse racing, if you put your money on the dark horse and he or she wins, major pay out. Don't look at me like that Eddie, I don't like it and from what Josh tells me the fighters and promoters don't condone it or approve of it but there's not much that can be done about it. Apparently it's pretty harmless so what's the big deal?"_

_Ed raised an eyebrow looking at his brother. "As long as it remains harmless, right, no problem. But Roy, you're a cop same as me; you know how these things go sometimes. People get in too deep and they aren't content on letting things remain so innocent. Big money gets on the line and people go to extremes to make sure things happen. Even the fighters and promoters that normally wouldn't be involved can get sucked in when big money is involved."_

_Roy laughed. "Watch before you make judgments. You'll see. I've seen Josh train and I've seen him fight. It's the same with most of these competitors. They fight like you shoot. It's a matter of pride and honor in the sport; bets and odds don't even cross their minds."_

_Ed wasn't so sure, but he didn't say anything more. He didn't know this sport the way he knew others but he did know human nature. That was his job. He knew that people could go to extremes when money was on the line. He tried to put his doubts to one side. He wasn't on the job at the moment and he should try to just enjoy the evening as much as he could. _

_He scanned the room and was surprised to see a familiar face standing near the wall where the competitors were gathered. He frowned again, this time for a completely different reason. What was Jules's boyfriend doing here? Ed took a moment to scan the program he'd been handed when he came in. There was no Taggert listed as a competitor but a different name did catch his attention. J. Callaghan. Realization dawned on him and suddenly his newest colleague's bruises made sense. The abuse Wordy had suspected had not come in anger but in sport. Now he understood why Jules hadn't wanted to explain what was going on. If the team knew she was competing in tournament fighting, they would arrive en-mass to cheer her own. They would make a big deal about every win she had and rib her good-naturedly over every loss. Suddenly he wasn't dreading the evening the way he'd been only moments earlier. He'd watched his teammate spar and knew she'd be a hell of a fighter._

_Jules's match came about midway through the evening. As the competitors were announced, Roy punched Ed's arm. "That's her. The chick I was telling you about. Watch her compete and tell me she isn't hot. If she's half the hellcat in bed that she is in the ring…"_

_Ed glared at Roy. "Don't finish that statement. That 'chick' as you call her could whip your ass in two seconds flat and then put a bullet between your eyes at a distance of over 500 yards."_

_Roy's eyes widened at Ed's sudden defense to the fighter. Then he grinned. "Wait, are you shitting me? That's the skirt on your team? Damn, Ed, you've been holding out on me, Bro. We've all wondered why the great Team One accepted a female on the team but now I see why. I wouldn't mind seeing her at work every day. Hell, I'd probably even enjoy those torture sessions you call close battle sparring if I got to get my hands on her hot little body."_

_Ed's face was hard as he turned to fully face his brother. "Don't ever call her a skirt and don't you dare demean why we picked her for the team. Jules has more than proven she belongs on Team One. She's a damn fine officer and a hell of a person, just as capable as anyone else on the team. Don't ever talk about her that way to me or to anyone else. And if I find out you've said anything at the station about her being a fighter then you won't have to worry about what she'd do to you because I'll take care of you first. And you know what I'm capable of."_

_Roy just shook his head. "Don't get bent out of shape, Ed. I didn't mean anything by it. Just giving you a hard time; that's all. You don't want me saying anything around the station, then I won't. Not a big deal, really. Everyone knows Josh fights, and no one makes an issue out of that. Don't see why it would be different if people knew about your girl.."_

"_Difference is Josh doesn't mind if people know. If Jules wants us to know she competes, then she'll be the one to tell us. Right now, she hasn't shared that information and that's the way it's going to stay."_

_The fight began. Ed watched, only half surprised by how well Jules competed. She didn't seem like a woman possessed as Roy had described her but she was without a doubt quite good. He'd seen her spar at work but it was nothing compared to what he was seeing now. Some of the moves she was making would never be allowed in the close battle drills they did at work but showed that she'd obviously trained hard to learn them. Watching her, Ed knew he would think twice about engaging her in a fight outside of work._

_Her opponent was also good. The two were obviously evenly matched. The other woman kicked out, catching Jules in the stomach. Ed winced; that would definitely leave a bruise later. He wondered if she'd ever gotten bruised or cracked ribs from fighting if she took many blows like that one. Would she even get checked out if she did? Ed had watched her enough to know that she pushed herself past her limits if given the opportunity. The round ended and Jules went to her corner. Both Barry and a white-haired man in a red satin ball cap entered the ring. Ed relaxed as it was obvious that Barry was checking her ribs carefully. His gut might not like the man but it was clear that Barry was watching out for her. _

_Her mouth guard dangled from her mouth as she took the water bottle Barry handed her after he'd checked her out. She downed the contents in one long swallow and handed the empty container back to him as the bell rang again, signaling the end of the break. The rest of the match continued much the same way. Sometimes Jules got in the lucky shot and sometimes her opponent did. Roy leaned over and explained that judges awarded points for different hits. At the end of the match, the person with the most points would win. _

_Ed didn't understand much about the rules but it didn't matter. He'd been impressed with the spunky rookie since her recruitment trials but now he was even more impressed. She certainly gave as good as she took, and was completely focused on her every moment. _

"_Told you she was good. Not quite the hellcat she was the last time I saw her fight but still pretty good." Roy commented at the end of the match when Jules had been declared the victor. There was something in his tone that said he also still thought she was hot but he wisely didn't comment on that. "We've got a few minutes before the next match. You going to go congratulate her?"_

_Ed shook his head. "No, it's better she doesn't even know I was here. For some reason it's important to her that she keeps this separate from her work life. I'm going to honor that."_

_Roy shook his head. "You're seriously telling me that after watching her compete, you can face her at work tomorrow and not say anything about this?"_

_Ed shrugged. "Yeah, I guess I am."_

- FP - FP - FP -

Jules practically held her breath as she stepped into the cubicle in ICU. The space was small to begin with but the different beeping machines dwarfed the space even more. Shuffling forward, she made her way to the side of the bed. It was hard to reconcile the man lying there with a breathing tube down his throat and IVs sticking in his arms as the same man who had always seemed so full of life and energy.

She reached out, her hand lightly coming to rest on his cheek. She tried to ignore the tube helping him breathe. Thinking about it only reminded her that she hadn't followed the full extent of the wishes she knew he would have had. She couldn't feel bad about authorizing the doctor for temporary extraordinary measures. Without the tube down his throat, his lung might have to work too hard to heal. As she'd told Sam earlier, she'd rather have Al alive and angry with her than dead. She had to focus on that and push her guilt to the side. It was easier said than done, so she turned her attention on to other things about him. His skin was reassuringly warm and no longer that scary gray it had become when he was lying on the floor of his office. His chest, which was only partially hidden under a sheet, was no longer covered with blood, though she could see the thick bandages that covered the wounds.

She took a steadying breath, knowing she didn't have much time. The nurse had been firm about only allowing ten minutes for a visit. Barry had already taken seven of those minutes so she knew the nurse would be back shortly to run her out.

Jules was grateful that Barry had apparently kept his word about not saying anything or giving indication that he was there. The vitals displayed on one of the machines closest to Al seemed relatively normal. She reached to her back pocket and pulled out the ball cap she'd stuck there earlier. The blood from her hands that had transferred to the cap had dried but she ignored it. She knew she wouldn't be able to leave it with him but it just seemed odd for him not to be wearing it. She set it on his head and felt slightly better.

"You've got to get better, Old Man. There are a lot of people who need you. I should know. I'm one of them. Be your usual stubborn self and keep fighting but don't fight the doctors and nurses. Okay? Promise me that."

If she felt funny that she was talking to someone who couldn't talk back to her, it didn't show. She wanted to promise him that she'd find out who was responsible for hurting him but didn't want to risk upsetting him. She knew that even though he was proud of her for all of her accomplishments, he also worried about her having such a dangerous job. Worried about her more than maybe her own father did. Right now the last thing she wanted him doing was worrying about her when he should be focused on getting better.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry, but you'll have to leave now. You can come back during regular visiting hours."

Jules nodded, keeping her back to the nurse. She leaned down and kissed Al's cheek as she removed his ball cap and returned it to her back pocket. "Don't worry, I'll keep it safe for you until I can give it back to you full time. I'm not going far, Old Man. Just back down to the waiting room. I'll come back and check on you when they let me; maybe Sam can come then as well. You know him; he's out there ready to worry about me as I worry about you so you don't have to. He would have come back with me this time but the doc taking care of you wanted to limit your visitors. Behave yourself, Old Man."

"Ma'am?" The nurse was kind but persistent.

Jules sighed and kissed his cheek once more. She leaned closer to his ear. "I love you, Old Man. You better take care of yourself, or you'll have to answer to me." She knew it was her imagination but she could almost see him smiling at her implied threat.

She left the cubicle reluctantly. Seeing Al look so fragile had been difficult. Had it been that hard for Sam when she'd been the one lying in a hospital bed? It would explain why he'd held her maybe a little more tightly when he'd finally been allowed to after those times. It made her appreciate Sam all the more. She thanked the nurse for the time she'd gotten and made sure she realized she'd be in the waiting room if there was any change in Al's condition. Then she made her way toward the double doors leading out of ICU toward the waiting room just for the families and friends of the ICU patients that they'd been directed to after Al had been moved from Recovery. At least the furniture there was more comfortable. She guessed it was because it was usually a longer wait once a patient made it to ICU and the hospital wanted to make the stay the families had to endure easier.

Jules wasn't really surprised to see Sam leaning against the wall waiting as she came through the doors. It always seemed like whenever she needed him, he wasn't far away, and she really needed him right then. Seeing her, he straightened and opened his arms for a comforting hug. She stepped into his embrace and his arms tightened around her. Looking up at him she rose up on her toes so that her lips could meet his. Sam returned the kiss and then looked at her.

"You okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I'll be even better when he's sitting up and talking. I don't think I've ever seen Al so still. It just seems so wrong. Sam, I'm sorry I put you through that same kind of pain when I was hurt. I don't think I ever realized how tough it must have been on you."

"You don't ever owe me an apology for that. Wherever you are; whatever you are going through; I want to be there with you and for you. Always."

He kept an arm around her waist as he started to lead her down the hall. She seemed stronger than she had earlier; getting to lay eyes on her friend for those couple of minutes had evidently allowed her to regain more of her usual strength. It didn't stop him from worrying about her fully. She was no doubt one of the strongest persons he knew; things didn't usually faze her except when it came to people she cared about being hurt or in danger. Knowing she invested herself past her emotional limits in those circumstances, Sam vowed to keep an extra close eye on her.

"You hungry yet? That little bit of sandwich you ate earlier couldn't have been enough. It's going to be awhile before they let you see him again. We could run down to the cafeteria and eat something. There's a volunteer in the waiting room; all we have to do is let her know where we are and she can call us there if they need you back here." He knew better than to suggest they actually leave the hospital but hoped she'd consent to going to the cafeteria at least.

She shook her head. "Maybe later. Ed's probably wondering where we are anyway."

Sam frowned. "Ed left. Said he'd check in with us later and for us to call if we needed anything. Sarge called as well. Said he'd understand if you needed to take a day tomorrow."

She shook her head. "Al would have my hide if I took a day off from work to sit up at the hospital all day. As long as he's holding his own, I'll go into work. They're going to keep him sedated anyway and you know they won't let anyone in other than those ridiculous visiting hours that only last twenty or thirty minutes. Besides, I want to be there if we can get any leads as to who is responsible for putting Al here in the first place. As much as I want to be here; I'm pretty useless. At least at work, I'll feel like I'm doing something."

Sam nodded; he hadn't really known what to say to the boss when he called. He had figured Jules wouldn't want to stray far from the hospital until she knew for certain that Al would be okay but at the same time he was sure she'd want to be apart of the investigation. The fact that she was choosing work over holding vigil at the hospital made him feel better. This was the Jules he was most familiar with; the one he knew how to help.

She opened the door to the waiting room and stepped inside. Her eyes immediately scanned the room which held more people than had occupied the surgical waiting room. She knew from what Sam had said that she wouldn't see Ed waiting there, but she was more than surprised not to see Barry sitting there either. She didn't think her surprise showed but Sam's warm voice filled her ear; she hadn't realized how close he was standing to her.

"He never came back to the waiting room after seeing Al. It wouldn't hurt my feelings if he never came back." He tried to keep some of the bite out of his voice but he ws pretty sure some of it came out anyway.

Silently Jules agreed but she knew it wasn't completely fair. "Al's his dad; I can't blame him for wanting to be here to know how he's doing. They used to be so close; not just father and son but best friends as well. I know Al's hated the split even if he's too stubborn to admit it."

It was the closest she'd ever come to discussing Barry with him. Sam sighed and led her to a much more comfortable leather couch and pulled her down to a sitting position, nestled in his arms. "And I'm sure you blame yourself that they lost that closeness."

Her eyes widened as she stared up at him in shock. His hand gentle caressed her cheek. "Jules, I know you used to date Barry. I know you cared about him a lot." He couldn't bring himself to even think the word love. Even though what she'd once had with Barry had been over long before he'd come into the picture, he couldn't comfortably think about her with another man. It was one of the reasons he'd been okay with not saying anything about knowing about the relationship and what had happened.

"Sam, it ended a long time ago." Jules reassured him quickly. She didn't want him getting the wrong idea. "Any feelings I had for Barry died a long time ago. Years before you even joined the team even. The only positive thing that came from that relationship is my friendship with Al."

"Not the only positive thing." Sam argued. He hadn't really planned on confessing his secret knowledge this way but didn't think it made sense to hold off saying anything. He continued to lightly trail his thumb along her jaw line. "But I think the negative feelings about what happened have prevented you from seeing anything else positive. You shouldn't blame yourself for coming between Al and Barry. Al doesn't and neither should you. Barry made his choices and that's what came between the two of them You also shouldn't let his bad mistakes rob you of something you were damn good at."

Jules's eyes widened. "You know."

It wasn't a question but Sam nodded anyway. "Yeah, I know."

- FP - FP - FP -

"_Callaghan, briefing room. Now." Greg Parker stood at the entry way of the briefing room as his voice reverberated throughout the station. _

_Jules, who was in the process of restocking the supply room with Wordy, frowned. In her short amount of time with Team One, she'd never heard the Boss sound so mad. She looked at Wordy who shrugged but also looked worried. She kept her voice low, "Is that normal?"_

"_Not in all the time I've been here. What's going on? You've done nothing to warrant that kind of tone as far as I've seen. You better get in there though. He doesn't sound happy. I'll finish up here."_

_She studied Wordy carefully before leaving the supply room. She wouldn't put it past them to be pulling some sort of elaborate prank on her. It wouldn't be the first time since she'd been there but it was usually something like putting extra weights in her gear during the obstacle course or sabotaging her locker so that she got sprayed with water or silly string or something inane like that. But Sarge didn't usually get involved or if he had, it hadn't been in quite so obvious a way. Were they stepping up their game because she hadn't reacted the way they wanted her to? Wordy looked completely unaware of what was going on though. But she knew had learned pretty quickly that his innocent good-boy image could be deceptive._

_She stepped into the briefing room. Almost immediately the heavy garage type door came down behind her. She frowned again. If this was a prank, why close everything off so the rest of the team couldn't watch her reaction? _

"_Something wrong, Boss?" Her voice was steady, not showing the worry that was rushing through her at the moment. For a moment she felt like she was back in high school being called to the principal's office._

_She was alone in the room with Ed and Greg. The former was standing along the wall staring out the blind covered windows. The latter, who had been standing at the doorway so that he could close the door as she entered, crossed to the table and sat on the edge of it. There was an open file on the table._

"_Sit down." _

_Jules suddenly found it hard to get her legs to cooperate with her. Sarge's voice was a cross between extreme disappointment and unbridled anger. Two emotions she didn't think she'd ever heard from him. "Something wrong, Boss?"_

_She was repeating herself but she didn't know what else to say. Something was obviously wrong but she couldn't figure out what it was. The fact that he hadn't immediately answered her the first time didn't make her feel any better._

"_You tell me. I just got back the results of the drug test you did this morning." _

_Jules wasn't a stranger to drug tests. Both during her time at RCMP and during the recruitment trials for SRU, they had been mandatory. A nuisance and a pain in the arm but nothing to worry about, just a necessary part of the job. She hadn't thought anything when Ed had announced as soon as she'd arrived that morning that she had to undergo a random drug test. "Okay. And?" _

_Ed swirled around, anger flashing in his eyes. "And? And? Damn it, Jules. Why? I never thought you'd sink to that level. Was the money that good? How much are you in for?"_

_Jules flinched visibly at his outburst. What was he talking about? "Money? What are you talking about?" Her confusion changed over to a grin. She laughed nervously. "Okay, good one guys. You got me that time. Pretty elaborate prank this time, pulling me in and trying to make me think something showed up on my drug test. Let me guess, the rest of the guys are watching a feed of my reaction."_

"_No prank, Jules." Some of the anger had drained out of Greg's voice leaving him sounding disappointed and exhausted. He pushed the file toward her. "Quite a little cocktail the test picked up. I've never even seen some of those drugs used in combination with each other. Drugs that would guarantee to give you a boost of strength and endurance."_

_Jules stared at the lab results and slowly shook her head. "There's got to be some mistake. I didn't take anything. I wouldn't take anything. I don't do drugs. The lab must have made a mistake or something." _

_Ed crossed back to the table. "The only mistake is thinking you wouldn't get caught. I can't believe you, Jules. I was there last night. I saw you."_

_Jules looked at him shocked. How had he found out? "You saw me fight? How did you find out?"_

_Ed shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I've known about it for a few weeks now." He nodded toward the file. "Is that why you didn't want any of us to know what you were involved in?"_

_Jules had trouble catching her breath. This couldn't be real. Surely any minute now one of them was going to break down and admit that it was all some sort of prank. An elaborate way of giving her a hard time because she'd kept her competitions secret. That's the only explanation she could think of. Drugs? She barely ever took a Tylenol for a headache let alone anything stronger. "I just didn't want everyone ragging me about it, like they do Pete. It's just something I do for fun. The cash prizes for winning are barely enough to cover the registration fee. There's no money in it. It's no big deal. It's just a way to blow off steam and put my fighting skills to use. If you were there last night, if you've seen any of my fights, Ed, you should know that."_

"_I know that your opponent last night was a champion fighter who has never been defeated before. 123 matches and no losses, until last night."_

_Jules couldn't believe what she was hearing. Ed didn't even sound like the same compassionate guy who had come to her not that long ago concerned that she'd been beaten by Barry. Her stomach turned. He could believe that she'd allow herself to be beaten but couldn't accept that she could win a match without drugs? "And because I beat her I must have taken something to give me an edge because there's no way I could win fair and square, right? God, Ed, do you really think that?"_

_Ed leaned against the table, his eyes wide and his expression hard. "I know you are capable. I don't think you have to take something in order to win but last night I believe you took something because of the way you fought. You weren't you last night. I could practically see the adrenaline coursing through you. You fought like you were possessed not like you normally do. I didn't want to believe it but there was no denying it. That's why I ordered the drug test today."_

_Jules stared at him in disbelief. She's thought the test was just a random screening but he'd ordered it because he believed she'd been under the influence. She pushed the file back toward him, her eyes flashing in anger. "I didn't take anything. I wouldn't take anything. I don't care what you think or what that test says. You are wrong and it's wrong. It doesn't even make sense. It was just a fight, why would I risk everything that's important to me over a stupid fight?"_

"_Pretty big odds in her favor. You beating her with those kinds of odds made anyone who bet on you some pretty good money. Money can be a pretty big motivator. It wasn't the first time either, was it? It's not the first time I've heard you fought like a possessed woman. How many times have you dosed yourself before a competition?"_

_Jules pushed her chair back and looked at Greg, who had remained strangely silent; he wouldn't face her. Then she looked back at Ed. "Betting? What are you talking about? It was a simple competition. I don't know anything about any betting. And I certainly don't cheat. I can't believe you would even think I could. You should know me well enough to know that if I can't win fairly then I just don't win." She looked back at Greg. "You don't seriously believe any of this do you?"_

_Greg sighed. "I can't ignore the drug test. I'm sorry, Jules. I don't want to suspend you or put this test in your official record. Doing either would probably mean the end of your career. I can't ignore it either though. If any of the drugs that showed up in your test had been controlled substances, I wouldn't have a choice. As it is, I have a little leeway here, very little leeway. While Ed and I investigate this, I'm ordering you to take vacation days. There will be more random drug tests while you are off. If anything shows up on those or if we don't like what we find out, I'll have no choice but to make things official and suspend you or, even worse, outright fire you."_


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Notes: Here's the next chapter. Just in case there is any confusion, the sections in the middle that are in italics are flashbacks. I hope it doesn't disappoint and that you enjoy it. Thanks for the reviews; I always love hearing what you think.

Disclaimer: The show Flashpoint and its characters were created by Mark Ellis and Stephanie Morgenstern and belong to them and the networks who air the episodes. Since the show has ended, our only way of getting new Flashpoint is through fan fiction. This story is my attempt to help fill the void, and the only profit I make is the warm fuzzy feeling reviews give me. Anything that does not come directly from the show is my own creation and should not be used without my permission.

What's Past is Now Present

Chapter 8

Jules rose off the couch and crossed over to the window overlooking one of the parking lots. Her arms were crossed over her chest. Not many people knew the whole story so the list of people who could have possibly told him were very few. In fact, she could only think of four people besides herself who knew the truth. She knew Barry wouldn't have said anything; she didn't think he could admit even to himself that he'd done anything wrong. Greg wouldn't say anything unless she asked him to. That left only two people. Maybe she shouldn't have left Ed and Sam in the same room together earlier, especially with Barry hanging around. Was that why Ed had left? He didn't want to be there when she found out he'd told Sam everything?

"It's not like I wanted to keep things from you. It was a pretty bad time for me and I don't like talking about it. I guess with everything going on today, Ed felt like you should know what happened."

Sam came to stand behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She leaned her head against his chest. "Ed didn't tell me anything and I didn't just find out about it today. Remember when we helped Al paint the gym? He told me then."

Jules twisted in his arms and looked up at him. "That was before I got shot. We'd been together, what three weeks at that point? All this time and you've never said anything?"

Sam ran his fingers through her hair. "I didn't see any reason why I should. As mad as I was that it happened and as much as it angered and hurt me that anyone could take advantage of you that way, it was over and done with. It was in your past and as long as you wanted it to stay that way, I was okay with it. With you not saying anything that is; I could never be okay with what happened. I wouldn't have said anything now about knowing but I didn't want you worrying about me getting the wrong idea. And honestly? it was pretty damn hard not to react to everything he said to you or just to him being in the same room as you."

She sighed. "It's not that I wanted to keep secrets from you." She felt like she had to explain, didn't want him to get the wrong idea. "Part of me knew you would be pissed as hell at him; he wasn't worth the time you would spend being mad at him."

Sam held her closer. "He's not but you ARE worth the time of rightly being pissed that someone hurt you."

There was something about the way that his words washed over her that felt like a verbal caress. She melted against him and continued. "And part of me is still, even after all this time, embarrassed that I let it happen in the first place. I was so stupid for getting in so deep."

Sam frowned, wondering if that was the first time she'd ever spoken those words out loud. It was obviously not the first time she'd thought them. He shook his head. "Don't, Jules. Don't do that. You weren't stupid. You trusted someone and he took advantage of you. That's on him not you."

She pulled out of his embrace and turned back toward the window. The headache she'd noticed forming after talking to the surgeon was suddenly making itself known. She placed her hands on either side of her nose squeezing them together to try to relieve the pressure building. "Not everyone agrees with you on that one, Sam, but thanks for thinking it."

He wanted to argue with her but something about her tone held him back. The pain he heard in her voice wasn't just a remembered one but was obviously still fresh. Al had told him the full story as he knew it, but Sam wondered now if Al had known the full extent of the damage his bastard son had caused. Sam had never said anything to anyone else on the team about the incident. Perhaps it was time he changed that as well. It would have to be Ed or Greg; although Wordy was with the team at the time and was only a phone call away, Sam knew enough about SRU procedure to question whether the family man even knew enough about the situation to help him. He just had to figure out which one of the other two would be more receptive to giving him more details.

He saw the way her hands were pressing against the sides of her nose and knew what that particular movement meant. His hands trailed up to lightly massage her temples, and she leaned back against him with a soft sigh. He leaned down to kiss her forehead. "How bad is the headache, Jules?"

She shrugged, not surprised that he knew her well enough to recognize that was what was wrong. "Not too bad, just more of an annoyance than anything. It'll be fine."

Sam nodded and led her back to the couch. With his hands on her shoulders, he gently propelled her down to a sitting position. "I know you will be. It's probably a hunger headache. You need to eat something." Seeing that she was about to protest, he knelt in front of her and placed a finger over her lips. She raised an eyebrow at the move, looking slightly irritated but Sam didn't remove it. "I get that you don't want to leave the waiting room, but I also know you aren't going to do Al any good if you make yourself sick. You wait here in case they call, although you know they probably won't, and I'll run down to the cafeteria and pick us both up something to eat and bring it back here. Then once the last of the visiting hours is up tonight, I'm taking you home. The hospital will call if there's any change but you need to get a good night's sleep. Don't look at me like that. You know I'm right. If you are planning on working tomorrow, you need the sleep tonight or you won't be good for anyone. Okay?"

"Okay." Jules spoke around his finger and Sam grinned at just how ridiculous they actually looked. He moved his finger to lightly run it along her jaw line. She sighed. "You think they have soup or something hot like that?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure they do. I take it that's what you want?"

"Please. If they don't have soup, just bring me a hamburger or something like that." Jules waited until Sam was started to turn to leave and reached out and gave his wrist a little tug. He turned back to her. "Sam, thanks. Not just for watching out for me when I'm being too stubborn to do it myself but for just being here for me."

He leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. "I'll always be here. That's the easy part. Watching out for you and getting you to do what's right, not always so easy, but I try. I'll be back soon."

She watched him leave and then leaned her head back against the cushion of the couch. Sam knew. More importantly, he'd known from practically the very beginning. Since she'd started dating Sam, she'd worried about what would happen if he'd found out about what Barry had done. Worried that his protective nature and his acute sense of right and wrong would drive him to seek a justice she had been denied. Worried that he would see her continued friendship with Al as some sort of sign that she was trying to hang on to her relationship with Barry. Worried that he would think she was culpable in the events that had taken place. Or perhaps worst of all, worried that he would think she was weak because she hadn't stopped things before they got out of hand. All of her worries had apparently been for nothing. Sam had known and she hadn't seen any signs that any of those worries had proven true.

As she sat there, a fatigue that she'd been fighting since the shooting crept back over her. She didn't understand why she was so tired, it wasn't like her day had been as physically demanding as most of her days were. She guessed what she'd always heard about how worry and sitting around a hospital could be more draining that running a marathon had merit. She blinked and then yawned. She'd close her eyes for just a few minutes while Sam was gone, just to recharge for a moment.

She was asleep almost as soon as the thought left her. The waiting room door opened and a man entered. He crossed the room and stood over the couch where Jules was napping. For a moment he didn't move, just stood there looking down at her helpless, sleeping form. Then he shifted position. His smile was more grim than happy as he started to take off his jacket.

- FP - FP - FP -

"_Whoa, Darling, calm down a little. I think it's dead."_

_Jules paused with her fork still in her salad where she been stabbing it angrily. "How, Barry? How the hell did a drug test show I'd taken something I damn well know I didn't take?"_

_He reached across the table and took her hand that wasn't holding her fork in his, giving it a squeeze. "I'm sure it's all a mistake. Maybe the lab inadvertently switched your blood sample with someone else's. Maybe there was a glitch in their testing process. There's a logical reason for it; there has to be. Nobody who really knows you could ever believe you would take drugs. I'm surprised your co-workers are making a deal out of it. I would have thought they would trust you more than that."_

_Barry had accurately hit on exactly what was bothering her more than the failed drug test, hitting her biggest hurt. She frowned. She wouldn't cry; she wasn't going to waste tears that wouldn't change things. She was scared of losing the job she'd worked so hard to get; she couldn't argue that, but losing the respect and trust of two men she respected without question hurt even more. _

"_I don't get it, Barry. You should have seen them. The Sarge looked so disappointed in me that I wanted the floor to just open up beneath me and swallow me whole. And Ed? He was so angry. Scary angry. Like I knew he'd never do anything to hurt me but at the same time I felt like he had the potential."_

_Again Barry squeezed her hand. "He'd be a fool to hurt you. You'd kick his ass and then I would take my turn on whatever you left behind. You'll see, Darling, it's all going to work out. You'll be back to work in no time with all this behind you and in the meantime, you can pour out that excess energy and anger into your upcoming matches."_

_Jules stabbed a tomato with her fork and brought it to her lips. After chewing and swallowing, she responded, "Is that a good idea, you think? Maybe I should hold off from any competitions until this all does blow over. I mean Ed seemed so convinced that I'd sold my soul to some sort of betting ring. Like that even happens with the mixed form fighting."_

_Barry took a long sip of his coffee before returning the cup to the table. He fixed his eyes on Jules, his expression grim. "Except it does happen, Darling. And that's why you have to keep competing."_

_She couldn't stop the hurt from once more showing on her face. "Barry, you can't believe…"_

_He gave her hand another squeeze. "Not for a minute. I'm not like your co-workers, Darling. I know you wouldn't do drugs, and I'm sure you are going to be vindicated in all this. But betting does go on and there are some fighters that would do anything to ensure a win, including taking performance enhancing drugs. Now, betting isn't illegal but fixing a fight is taken very seriously, especially by the governing council that oversees the mixed formed fights. If you suddenly dropped out of competitions you were already registered for, people would start questioning why. If word got out that you were suspected of taking something to enhance your chances of winning, even though you are innocent, people would wonder about every win you've had or will have. Worse yet, Dad would fall under suspicion as well. His reputation as a trainer would be ruined as well as that of any other fighter he sponsored. This would end up hurting a whole lot of people."_

_Jules sighed, pushing aside the rest of her salad. "I don't want anyone to get hurt because of me. It's bad enough that my job is on the line and I didn't even do anything. I don't get it, Barry. If they looked at my fight records, how could they suspect me of cheating? Sure I've have a few fights like last night when I felt unstoppable but most of my wins have been narrow victories. I've also had some narrow losses and some colossal defeats. It's not a record that screams that I've been using drugs to be better than everyone else."_

_Barry paid the bill and rose from the table, holding his hand out to her. Once she was standing, he pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her back. "Come on, Darling. All this has you wound tighter than I've ever seen you. I can think of two excellent ways you can expend that energy. Let's hit the gym for awhile."_

_Jules nodded. "Gym huh? Yeah, I could seriously pound the shit out of a punching bag for awhile. You've got me curious though, what's the other way?"_

_He leaned down and whispered in her ear, enjoying the way her cheeks flushed red as he did. She gave his tie a tug so that she could kiss him lightly on the lips. "That sounds pretty good as well. What if I prefer that option over the gym?"_

"_Who said we're not doing both? We're just taking the gym option first.."_

_- FP - FP - FP -_

"_Careful there, Sass, it's hell having to replace one of those bags and it's even worse having to clean up the insides if you bust it wide open." _

_Jules paused in her assault on the punching bag, holding it so it didn't swing back and hit her. She was breathing hard, a thin line of sweat standing out on her forehead. She had no idea how long she'd be taking all her anger and frustration out on the innocent piece of equipment. She'd been so focused that she'd barely registered it when Barry had motioned to his phone that he had to take a call. She'd barely noticed as he moved off toward the office to have a little privacy. She certainly hadn't seen Al join her. She wiped her forehead with the crook of her arm. "Sorry, Al. It's been one of those days."_

_The older man motioned for her to take a seat on the concrete floor. He joined her, offering her a bottle of cold water. "Bad call?" _

_She knew what he was thinking. The last time she'd attacked the punching bag like it had personally offended her had been then night after she'd been forced to take the life of a subject for the first time. After all of her energy had been spent that night, she'd confided in Al how terrible she felt. She'd told him how she knew she'd done the only thing possible but how it didn't make her feel any better. Al had listened and offered her comfort until she had vented fully. It was perhaps the only time they'd actually really talked about her job. She blew out a frustrated breath. "I wish."_

_Al frowned, glancing at his watch. "Something had to have happened. You don't attack the bag like that without a good reason and I'm pretty sure you are supposed to still be on shift right now. What's up, Sassafras?"_

_Haltingly, she told Al what had happened. It was somehow harder to tell Al than it had been telling Barry. By the time she got to her suspension that wasn't really a suspension, her head was bowed with shame._

"_Damn." Al shook his head. Then he reached out and touched her knee. "Sass, are you okay? I don't mean with what's going on at work. I know there ain't no way in hell you're okay with that; I know how important your job is to you. I mean physically. Did those boys you work with pull their heads out of their asses long enough to get a doc to check you out besides the drug test? Did they make sure those drugs hadn't hurt you before they started handing out recriminations?"_

_Her shoulders slumped even more. Why didn't anyone seem to believe her when she said she hadn't taken anything? Only Barry hadn't expressed any doubts in her. She'd expected better from Ed and Greg, and she'd certainly expected Al to believe in her. She clenched her hands into fists again. "I didn't take anything. I wouldn't for do that to myself and I sure as hell wouldn't put you and the gym at risk that way."_

"_Aw hell, Sass, I know that. That's why I'm worried. I love the sport, you know that. I don't like some of the unsavory dogs that hang around it though. The ones who would do anything to make a buck. It's not the first time I've heard of an unsuspecting fighter getting drugged before a fight but I never thought you would be a victim of it. I couldn't see anyone having the nerve of doing such a dastardly thing to my girl. Thought even if they did get a hair-brained notion in their heads that me and Bar would keep them from succeeding."_

_Jules sniffed. Al did believe her but his words only partially alleviated her distress. "You think someone dosed me without me knowing it?"_

_Al nodded glumly. "Yeah, Sass. It's the only logical thing I can think of. I know you wouldn't take anything willingly and there's got to be a reason why that drug test they gave you showed up positive. I'm sorry, Sass; if I had known anything like this would happen I never would have encouraged you. Now again, I ask, did you have a doctor check you out?"_

"_Al, I'm okay. Really." Jules pushed her hurt feelings to the side. Now that she had an idea of what had happened, her anger was replacing every other emotion. "Do you know who?"_

"_I wish I did. It's not that I turn a blind eye to the fixing of the games but these bastards are too slick. How about I call that sergeant of yours tomorrow. I'll talk to him. Tell him there's no way in hell you had anything to do with those drugs ending up in your system. That you were a victim in all this not an accomplice."_

_Jules offered him a wan smile that didn't quite make it to her eyes. Only Al could call her a victim without it sounding so bad. "It means a lot that you would offer but I don't think it'll do any good. The look in the boss's eyes, and worse, the look in Ed's eyes said the whole truth. They don't believe in me; they don't trust me. I don't think anything is going to change that. I should probably just start looking for a different job."_

_Al removed his ball cap and scratched his head before returning it to his head. "I never figured you for a quitter, Sassafras."_

_Jules bristled as Al had probably known she would. Victim she could accept from him, but not quitter. "I'm not quitting. I'm just being realistic. Don't you see? If what you are saying is true and, face it, it makes a hell of a lot more sense than the test being wrong; it doesn't change anything. How do I prove that I didn't willingly take it? Besides, how does it make me look? I'm SRU trained and I let someone drug me? The way Ed talked he didn't think it was the first time either. How do I know how many times it might have happened? Can I trust any win I've had?"_

_Al pulled her in close for a hug. "Aw Sass, of course you can. I know I haven't been to all the tournaments, last night included, but I've never seen you fight at less than your best. But it's always been YOUR best, not some chemically altered you. If circumstances have you not trusting yourself right now, trust me at least. And your bosses know you even if they seem to have temporarily forgotten that. Don't count your job out just yet. I can't believe that team of yours is run by fools. They're smart enough to figure this out when they start really thinking about it. Their faith in you might have been shaken but I'm sure it's not gone. They'll come to their senses shortly. You're gonna get your place back on your team."_

_His faith in her on top of Barry's earlier was starting to restore her faith in herself. She leaned her head on his shoulder. "Thanks, Old Man. As much as I needed to pound that bag, I think I needed someone to pound some sense back into me more."_

_Al chuckled. "Always glad to do that, Sass. Now, I'd understand given what's going on with your job if you wanted me to withdraw you from the competition scheduled for this weekend."_

_It was on the tip of Jules's tongue to share Barry's fear that if she dropped out it would cause trouble for Al. She refrained because she knew the older man well enough to know that he would protest her using his reputation as a reason to fight. He was just that selfless. She smiled at him, knowing a way she could convince him it was her own idea. "I'm competing. After all, weren't you the one who said I wasn't a quitter?"_

"_Yeah, I guess I did. Okay, then Sassafras. Don't you worry, Barry and I are going to make sure no one gets close enough to even think about drugging you again. You can trust us."_

- FP - FP - FP -

Sam carefully balanced his purchases as he pressed the button on the elevator. A weight he hadn't realized had been on his shoulders had lifted after letting Jules know he knew about Barry. He was glad the secret was out even if they never discussed it again. He'd never questioned why she'd never told him about what had happened. With the exception of the couple of guys she'd dated since he joined SRU, he didn't know much about her love life before him, just as she didn't really know his.

By tacit agreement, they didn't really discuss their past relationships, wanting to keep what had happened in the past there in the past where it belonged. The things he knew or at least thought he knew, he'd discovered through loving her. While neither had been the other's first, he was sure her experience was a little more limited than his had been. That hadn't really surprised him. Jules was an extremely passionate person but she didn't give her heart easily. From the very beginning he'd known that she wouldn't give her body without the heart being involved as well. It made him love her all the more.

He was pretty sure her reluctance to talk about what had happened had also gone beyond not wanting to talk about an old relationship. She'd been hurt and the memory was obviously still a painful one. He could completely understand her reticence to open up about it. There were memories of his own that were too painful to talk about if he didn't have to.

So while he wouldn't pressure her to talk if she didn't want to, he was glad she knew that he knew, especially now. He didn't like secrets in general but recognized they were sometimes, if not necessary, at least unavoidable. But with Barry back in the picture, he didn't want Jules having to face the cause of her pain AND tiptoe around the truth trying to keep him from knowing exactly why Barry got under her skin.

The elevator opened on his floor and Sam stepped out. He couldn't help but think about Barry's worry about his father. He couldn't blame the man for wanting to be there for Al, especially given the seriousness of the situation. Hell or high water wouldn't be able to keep Sam away if the General was lying in a hospital somewhere possibly dying. So while he understood Barry's need to see his father, he couldn't forgive the things Barry had said to hurt Jules. He knew his girlfriend could handle herself; the slap she'd given her former boyfriend had more than proven it, but it didn't make it any easier on Sam to hear Barry try to shift the blame to Jules.

Once again balancing the food, Sam opened the waiting room door and stepped inside. Instantly his blood froze in his veins and his heart began to pound. Without thinking he dropped the Styrofoam containers he'd been holding and reached for the gun that wasn't at his side because he was off duty and out of uniform.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Notes: I know, I need to update Re-Education and I will. This week, this story has demanded my attention. Here's the latest chapter and I hope you enjoy it, or at least don't want to throw too many tomatoes in my direction.

Disclaimer: The show Flashpoint and its characters were created by Mark Ellis and Stephanie Morgenstern and belong to them and the networks who air the episodes. Since the show has ended, our only way of getting new Flashpoint is through fan fiction. This story is my attempt to help fill the void, and the only profit I make is the warm fuzzy feeling reviews give me. Anything that does not come directly from the show is my own creation and should not be used without my permission.

What's Past is Now Present

Chapter 9

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Sam repeated, his voice low and threatening. His hand, unable to close around a gun he wasn't wearing, had clenched into a fist. He ignored the spilled contents of the food he'd gotten from the cafeteria, ignored or forgotten completely either one. The volunteer working the desk rose but Sam paid her no attention either. His sole focus was on the man leaning over Jules, brushing her hair away from her face.

Barry straightened and turned to glance in Sam's direction. "What does it look like I'm doing?"

The man's almost arrogant tone with his flippant answer only angered Sam more. He looked past Barry to Jules. It looked like she'd fallen asleep pretty much in the position he'd left her in. A tan sports jacket had been draped over her upper body. Sam's jaw rocked; he knew where the jacket had come from having seen Barry wearing it earlier. The idea of him or anything he owned touching the woman he loved was almost too much for Sam. He wasn't jealous, he told himself, only concerned.

"Get the hell away from her?" It was a tone that usually brought Sam immediate results during a hot call.

Barry however didn't look intimidated at all; instead he seemed amused. "Or what? You're going to punch me? Don't think that would go well for you. I let her get away with slapping me for no reason earlier; maybe I was feeling a little sentimental but I won't feel as generous with you. Everyone in this room will be able to testify that I didn't do anything to provoke an attack. Anything I did to you in retaliation would be self-defense." His tone indicated he was sure he'd walk away the victor in any altercation between the two of them.

"Get…Away…From…Her." Sam insisted again, his teeth almost clinched.

"Why? Jealous? Can't blame you there. She is something, isn't she? All tough and badass when she needs to be yet soft and incredibly sexily feminine when she wants to be. Something irresistible about that combination." If Barry felt at all threatened, he didn't show it. Instead he seemed to be actually goading Sam into a further rage. Only Sam's sense of professionalism and cool head was keeping him standing in his place.

Jules shifted her position and her eyes opened slowly. She felt the jacket covering her and saw Barry standing right in front of her. Glancing around she also saw the menacing look Sam was giving him. Not sure what she'd missed, she scrambled to her feet and practically threw the jacket back at Barry. She couldn't believe she'd fallen so deeply asleep that she'd obviously missed whatever had happened. Her eyes narrowed. "What are you up to now?"

She looked from Barry to Sam. The contempt she was showing her former flame changed to concern when she saw the spilled remains of the meals Sam had bought. Hamburger and fries in the midst of what looked like had been vegetable beef soup. "Sam, everything okay?"

The waiting room door opened and a uniformed officer stepped in, his hand on his gun. He recognized both Sam and Jules immediately, having worked crowd control on numerous hot calls alongside Team One. He relaxed only slightly. "Hospital security got a call that there was a disturbance in here. Constable Sabine had me stationed on this floor in case there was trouble. Need a hand?"

Sam didn't respond. He was locked in a deadly stare down with Barry, who simply looked bemused. Jules, still not sure exactly what had happened but sure there was no immediate threat, realized she was the one who would have to answer. "We're good, Gipson. Thanks for the back up."

"No problem. I'm nearby if the situation changes."

He left out again. Jules crossed over to Sam, tugging his arm gently to lead him back to the couch. Keeping a hand on his chest, she took a couple of steps back until she was sure she was more in his line of sight than Barry was. Once she was sure his eyes were on her, she stepped closer to him making sure he didn't return his stare to Barry. "Sam, are you okay."

Slowly he nodded. He knew he'd overreacted but he couldn't help it. As much as he knew Jules could take care of herself even against someone as big as Barry, the sight of the man who had taken advantage of her trust leaning over her while she was asleep and unaware brought out his basest protective nature. "Yeah, you okay? He didn't do anything, did he?"

She nodded, hoping he'd know she was answering his first question and then looked back at Barry. She frowned. "What are you doing back here? I thought you left."

Barry had neatly folded his jacket over his arm. "I had a meeting with a doctor in the building over a sale that I couldn't get out of. I would have blown it off regardless but since it was here I decided to go ahead with it. Once the meeting was finished, I came back. You can't possibly think I'd go far, not with my father in the condition he's in. I walked in, saw you sitting there alone and asleep. You looked a little chilled in that skimpy little tank top so I decided to put my jacket over you. Your hair had fallen into your face like it does when you sleep so I was brushing it away when Mr. Not Calm, Cool, and Collected returned and went ballistic."

Unconsciously, Jules wrapped her arms over her chest. The tank top she was wearing wasn't that revealing but the way his gaze lingered on the dip just above her breasts annoyed her. She thought about the top shirt she usually wore over her tanks and how she'd used it instead to try to staunch the blood flow pouring out of Al at an alarming rate. It was enough to make her stomach turn but she knew it was too empty for her to really throw up. "You lost the right to be concerned about my well-being years ago. I don't need your jacket and I certainly don't need you taking care of me."

Her chin jutted out and her eyes blazed with righteous fury. Barry just chuckled. "Sure Darling, whatever. Wasn't like I was just concerned about you anyway. It's not like it's easy for me to see all that blood on your shirt and know it's probably my dad's."

"Bastard." The harshness was back in Sam's voice but he didn't move. "She got that blood on her trying to save Al's life. She put herself at risk, not knowing if whoever shot him was still around, to check on him."

"I know." The reply was quiet so only Jules and Sam could hear it. There was almost a haunted look in his eyes as he continued. "I'm grateful, more so than I can ever say. If dad is hurt, there's no one else I would trust to take care of him than you. I'm sorry I gave you such a hard time earlier. I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt him, Darling. I only spouted off like that earlier because I was upset."

No matter how much she hated him, no matter how much he'd hurt her, Barry did have a good side. Jules never could have fallen for him so many years ago if he hadn't. When they'd first started dating all the way up to the moment she'd realized what he was capable of, his compassion, charm, and gentle nature had appealed to her. Seeing that little glimpse of him didn't change her current feelings for him. Nothing could erase the fact that she'd put her trust in him and he'd not only betrayed that trust but hurt her in the process. Even if she could forget that, her heart belonged completely to Sam and she was so much the better person because of it. But it did make her feel better to know that Barry's good side did still exist deep down. She frowned.

"Don't do that."

"Do what, Darling? Give you proof that I'm not the monster you've believed me to be?" It was as if as far as he was concerned, Sam wasn't even in the room.

"Call me Darling. I don't like it, and it's inappropriate. Stop doing it."

He grinned. "You never used to mind. What's different now? Trying not to make the new boyfriend jealous? I never pictured you as falling for the smothery, caveman type. Not sure it suits you, Da…_Jules_." He exaggerated the use of her name.

Jules took a step away from Sam and toward Barry, her finger poking his chest. "The difference is you forfeited your right to call me any names a long time ago. Sam has no reason to be jealous; you can't be jealous of someone who doesn't matter. And don't you dare to presume what kind of man he is. You don't know him and you sure as hell don't know me anymore. What you call smothery and cave man, I call concerned and involved. I certainly don't have to worry about him hurting me and then lying to my face about it."

Barry just chuckled. "Glad to see you haven't lost that fiery temper. I'm not here to cause you trouble, _Jules_. Never have been. Sorry if me trying to be a nice guy caused problems. I'll just go sit on the other side of the room so that little vein in your temple goes back to where it should be."

She waited until he was, as promised, on the other side of the room before turning back toward Sam. His jaw was still rocking and she knew it had taken all his control not to escalate the situation with Barry. It took a lot for any of them to lose their control; you couldn't be a good SRU officer if you flew off the handle easily, but it was as if Barry knew exactly what buttons to push. She was also pretty sure that the fact that he didn't have to hide his knowledge of Barry's actions toward her had made it harder to control his temper. "Sam, he's not worth it. Okay, let it go. He's trying to provoke you; don't let him."

Sam nodded and then slowly wrapped his arms around her slender body, holding her to him. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let him get to me. When I came in and saw him leaning over you…."

This time she was the one to place a finger over his lips, silencing him. "It's okay. I get it. It's been a long day and we're all emotionally on the edge. Let's just ignore him; that'll bug him more than anything."

Sam glanced past her to where a custodian had come in to clean up the mess Sam had made when he dropped their food. He felt bad. Not just because he'd caused more work for the probably already overworked guy but because he'd wasted the food itself. He closed his eyes and shook his head. "Jules, I'm sorry. I went to get you something to eat to settle that headache and I ruined it."

Jules shook her head. "Don't worry about it. I'm not really that hungry anyway. After the next visiting time is over, if Al's still doing okay, we can go get something. Get out of the hospital until the last visiting time." She could see he wasn't quite convinced even with her promise to actually leave the hospital. She rose up to kiss him lightly. "I'm okay. The nap sort of helped. What would help even more is if we sat down and you did that little massage of my temples that always relaxes me."

Sam grinned; Barry temporarily forgotten. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

- FP - FP - FP -

"_Darling, you okay?"_

_Jules shook her head but it was to clear away the dizziness not as an answer to the question Barry was asking. The first couple of rounds of the match had been brutal. Almost every other move she'd tried to make had been blocked and every block had been cast aside so that a painful blow had connected. In the months she'd been competing, she couldn't remember ever having such a disastrous match. One that would have ended long ago in her defeat if she'd given in to the protests of her body. The last time she'd landed on the mat, it had taken everything in her not to give up and tap out. Only Al's words from earlier in the week about not figuring her for a quitter kept her from making that move. _

"_I'm okay. I don't get it; last time I competed against her, I had a much easier time. I thought it was over a few times there. I'm kinda glad Al's not here to see this massacre." Al had planned on being here for this match, wanted to make sure he and Barry were there to make sure no one bothered her. However a last minute emergency at the gym had kept him away._

_Barry rubbed her shoulders, softening his touch when she winced from a particular sore spot. "She must have learned something from the last time. Maybe you should just go ahead and count this as a loss before it gets uglier."_

_She shook her head. She heard the tone in Barry's voice, the disappointment she only heard when she lost a match. His reactions to her defeats bothered her more than the defeats themselves. It was as if losing made her less desirable, less worthy of his attention. "Not going to happen. I'm not giving up without a fight. Give me one of my water bottles. I'll get my second wind and I'll show her what I'm made of."_

_Barry reluctantly handed her the bottle. "You sure?"_

_She nodded, tipping the bottle to her lips. When the bottle was half empty, Barry tried to take it from her. "Maybe you should save some for later."_

_She shook her head and finished off the bottle. "Got plenty in my bag."_

_The bell rang signaling the end of the break. Jules squeezed Barry's arm as she stood and replaced her mouth guard. Without a backwards glance, Jules once more approached her opponent. She really wanted to win, even if it was a narrow victory. The last couple of days had been rough, knowing she was off work not of her own choosing and in danger of losing her job. At this point, a loss would just seem like one more way the world was sticking its tongue out at her. She pushed aside the pain she was feeling from the last two rounds, determined not to let anything stop her._

_Despite this conviction, she failed to see her opponent's roundhouse kick until too late. The blow caught her square in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her. Before she could sufficiently recover, her opponent grabbed her shoulders and held her fast as she delivered three sharp knee jabs to her already battered abdomen. Darkness threatened as it was impossible for her to regain the breath she'd lost as the blows kept coming. Knowing she had to do something, Jules swept her foot out low between the legs of her opponent. Not seeing it coming any more than Jules had seen the kick, her opponent lost her balance and went to the ground. As soon as she realized she was falling, the woman Jules was fighting tightened her grip on Jules's shoulders and pulled her down as well. _

_Jules landed hard and her head bounced off the mat. Even with her helmet, she saw stars and her head began to throb. Her arms and legs felt heavy and unwieldy but she wouldn't give you. She rolled so that she was on top of her opponent. Immediately, the woman pushed her away and Jules used the time her opponent was rising to also stand. The rest of the round was even tougher than the start had been. _

_Her head was spinning and her ribs protested every movement. She could barely make her arms and legs obey her brain's sluggish commands. The urge to just sink down to the mat and quit grew stronger and stronger. It wouldn't be so bad to just stop and maybe even let Barry carry her out of the arena completely. Who cared if someone thought she was weak? At least this time no one could say she cheated. _

_Dodging a particularly vicious left jab that was dangerously close to an illegal head shot, Jules shook her head and launched herself at her opponent with a strength she didn't possess. She…was…not…a…quitter. Each silent word was punctuated with a jab or a kick aimed at her opponent. Only sheer determination and stubbornness was driving her now, but she was slowly thinking that maybe it might be enough. The tide started to turn and she was actually scoring more points than she had the whole match, not enough to pull ahead but enough that she was beginning to close the gap. The bell rang to end the round and she stumbled back to her corner. _

_She sank to the little stool that Barry had placed there for her as soon as the bell had rung but almost missed it entirely. Barry reached out to steady her; actually about four of him reached out to take her arm as her vision blurred All four Barry's frowned at her. "Darling, you're hurt. We gotta put a stop to this. Let me call the forfeit before it goes too far."_

"_No, I'm not quitting. Can't quit; finally finding my rhythm. Give me my water, please." She was breathing hard although each breath caused her ribs to protest even more. _

"_Darling, don't do this. All you're going to do if you go back out there is get seriously hurt. I don't want to see that."_

_She shook her head although she wasn't really sure how she was going to stand up let alone fight another round. "I'm dong this."_

_With even more reluctance than during the last break, Barry handed her a water bottle. His brows creased in worry as she chugged it in one long swallow. She handed the empty bottle back to him and stood. Her legs almost refused to support her prompting Barry to once more plead with her to put an end to the fight. She ignored his protests as the bell rang again. She stumbled out to the middle of the mat. _

_Staring at the quadruplets waiting to pound into her once more, Jules wanted to protest. She was having a hard enough time fighting the one opponent; there was no way she could take on four of them. As the round began Jules started to realize that her biggest opponent was not the woman hitting her with every kick, jab, and punch she knew but her own body. Her arms and legs felt like they were encased in lead and her head swirled dizzyingly. Had she hit her head harder than she thought she had? _

_She was determined to keep fighting, determined to somehow overcome her body's sudden weakness and win, or if a win was impossible at least make it a close fight. It was obvious to everyone in the arena that the match was over except her. Her opponent grabbed her in a bear hug, holding her in place for a series of knee jabs to her back._

"_Come on, Callaghan. Tap out. It's over and I don't want to hurt you." Even as muddled as Jules's mind was at the moment, she could hear the concern in the other woman's voice._

_Still she shook her head. "Not…happ…ening…"_

_Her opponent swept her foot out and sent Jules flat to the mat. Then she pressed her full weight over her, trapping her down for the pin. Spots formed in front of Jules's eyes and her breath refused to come easily. Her ears were ringing or was that the bell? The weight left her body but she continued to lay there. She wasn't sure her body would support her if she tried to get up. _

_The referee knelt over her, all four of him, looking at her in concern. "Are you okay? Do I need to call the medics in to check you?"_

_She shook her head and regretted it immediately as her stomach lurched. She pressed her lips together refusing to further embarrass herself by throwing up in the ring. Suddenly Barry was beside her, squeezing her shoulder. "I'll take care of her. She's okay, right, Darling?"_

_He helped her to her feet, keeping an arm firmly around her waist. Getting out of the ring between the two ropes was difficult and she almost pitched forward but Barry refused to let her fall. Once on the floor she sank to a sitting position, not trusting her legs to go much further, one arm protectively around her sore ribs. _

"_Come on, Darling, let's let the medic check you out. She did a number on your ribs and I think you might have hit your head a little too hard as well."_

"_I'm…'kay." Her words sounded a little slurred even to her ringing ears. _

_He kissed her head before easing off her helmet. "I know you are. Cut me some slack here, Darling. You know if Dad was here, he'd be insisting on you taking a trip to the Emergency room. At least I'm just wanting the medic to check you. Humor me and then I'll take you home so you can get some sleep."_

_She couldn't fight him any more than she'd apparently been able to fight her opponent. She let him pull her to her feet and support her as they walked over to the medical area. Because of the nature of the sport, there was always at least a couple of medics on site for the matches in case a fighter got hurt worse than just a little bruising. _

_She closed her eyes, no longer trying to fight back as the medic lifted her tank top to gently probe her abdomen. She winced and hissed at the pain but didn't cry out, wasn't sure she had the energy to do so anyway. Then fingers pried first one eyelid open to shine a light into her eye and then the other. She could hear the medic saying something to Barry but couldn't understand his words. His voice reminded her of the teacher's voice in those old Charlie Brown cartoons she used to watch with her brothers. Their voices sounded heated but she couldn't tell what they were arguing about. If she had to guess, the medic was probably telling Barry she should go to the ER but Barry was probably arguing that it wasn't necessary. Barry knew her well, knew she wouldn't want all the fuss that went with a trip to the hospital. _

_Wisps of her hair had come free from her ponytail and were sticking to her sweaty forehead. Tender fingers brushed them out of the way and lips lightly kissed her. "Come on, Darling. I'm taking you home now." _

_She allowed him to help her up and didn't even think about the fact that she had to lean on him even more as he helped her out to his convertible. The entire ride to her house, she kept her eyes closed as she dozed fitfully. She'd been beaten before but she couldn't ever remember feeling so battered. The only time that she could ever remember feeling even close to this bad was in the immediate aftermath of having her wisdom teeth removed a couple of years ago. _

_Once they reached her house, she didn't protest when Barry picked her up bodily and carried her up the walk to the front door. He'd apparently retrieved her keys from her gym bag, opening the door before carrying her inside. He set her on the couch and covered her with a throw. _

"_It's probably better if you sleep on the couch tonight, Darling. I don't think you can handle the stairs. You'll feel much better in the morning." Barry started to rise but Jules put her arms around his neck._

"_I'll be okay if you carry me up there and stay with me." There was a slight pleading to her tone but Barry chastely kissed her forehead again._

"_Not a good idea tonight, Darling. You need the rest. I'll check on you in the morning. Go on to sleep. It's the best thing for you."_

_He gently removed her arms and tucked the throw around her more securely. He left the couch and rummaged through her gym bag before setting her cell phone on the coffee table. "Here's your phone if you need it. Don't worry about the loss tonight, Jules. It just wasn't meant to be."_

_Jules wanted to cry; she wouldn't but she wanted to. It was always the same after she lost. It was like Barry wanted nothing to do with her. It was a different story when she won. He was always ready to rejoice in her victories, the bigger the win, the better the celebration. After a loss, however, he couldn't get away from her fast enough. It made her defeat seem even more like a failure. Her lower lip quivered._

"_I tried my best. I didn't give up." Jules whispered. She wasn't sure her voice was even loud enough for Barry to hear, but he stiffened anyway. Even though her vision was fuzzy, he looked almost remorseful._

"_I know. Go to sleep Darling." _

_She turned her head, refusing to beg and certainly not wanting him to see how hurt - emotionally, not physically- she was by his rejection. It took him a moment or two but then he was gone. _

_Her cell phone rang and after twisting on the couch to face the coffee table, she reached for it clumsily. She frowned as she finally recognized Ed's name on the display. She returned the phone to the table without answering. Why would Ed be calling her on a Saturday night when she wasn't on call, couldn't be on call? Was he calling to demand another drug check? Screw him, she didn't need his shit tonight on top of everything else._

_Even though her head was pounding and it was hard to concentrate, she couldn't help but question her loss. She'd never fought so badly, not even as a small child against her brothers. It was as if she couldn't do anything tonight. It didn't make sense and she really didn't think she'd been hurt badly enough to account for her current condition. Again she was reminded of how sluggish her body had been due to the effects of the sedation she'd been given during oral surgery. This was even worse than when she'd been under the influence of drugs._

_Her mouth was dry and cottony, making it even harder to think. She didn't think she could make it to the kitchen to get some water but she could make it to her gym bag. She always carried at least five bottles of water with her to a match. She'd gone through three bottles during the competition so there should be two more still there. _

_She practically rolled off the couch and crawled to her bag. Rummaging around her bag, she frowned. Where were her bottles? The two that should have been full weren't there and neither were her empties. Barry wouldn't have thrown them out; he knew she brought them home and refilled them in her own version of recycling. Why weren't they there?_

_An uneasiness washed over her and she wanted to push away her traitorous thoughts. Earlier that week, a drug test had shown drugs in her system that she hadn't taken. Tonight her body felt like it had been weighed down by unnatural means. Only one person had been close enough to be responsible for both. She didn't want to believe Barry would drug her; he loved her and wouldn't hurt her. Isn't that what she'd told Ed a few weeks earlier when he'd suspected Barry of hitting her? She couldn't believe he would do anything so low handed but she couldn't ignore the obvious either. Why had he taken the bottles away, especially the ones she hadn't consumed? She lurched back toward the coffee table. She needed to get to her phone and call Barry. She had to get an explanation. She picked up the phone but once again her fingers didn't want to obey her brain's commands. Again her stomach lurched and darkness swirled around her. She dropped the phone as she collapsed to the floor unconscious._


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Notes: So sorry for the long delay in posting a new chapter. Other stories took over control. I hope this chapter is worth the wait and that you enjoy it. School has now resumed (where did summer go?) so my writing time is also now going to be limited. I'll update as I can. Thanks for your patience and your reviews. Your comments mean the world to me.

Disclaimer: The show Flashpoint and its characters were created by Mark Ellis and Stephanie Morgenstern and belong to them and the networks who air the episodes. Since the show has ended, our only way of getting new Flashpoint is through fan fiction. This story is my attempt to help fill the void, and the only profit I make is the warm fuzzy feeling reviews give me. Anything that does not come directly from the show is my own creation and should not be used without my permission.

What's Past is Now Present

Chapter 10

"He's doing this on purpose, just like last time." Jules grumbled as she paced back and forth in front of the entrance to the ICU. She stopped, looked at her watch and then to clock above the information window as if to compare the two times, and then resumed her pacing.

Sam watched her from where he was leaning against the wall. As tempting as it was to jump straight in feet first and try to fix what was bothering Jules, he knew any such attempt would not only meet with resistance but her understandable anger as well. He thought about Barry's insult earlier, calling him smothery and a caveman. The only thing Barry had been right about is that the last thing Jules wanted in a man is someone who pounded on his chest, threw her over his shoulder and clubbed anyone who threatened her. Well, make that the next to the last thing she wanted. The last thing she wanted was Barry. He had no doubts about that.

"So do something about it." Sam suggested, not moving from his spot.

"What?" She stopped and looked at him. "What do you suggest I do, Sam? He might be a jerk but he's Al's son and has a right to the visitation time. Besides, he got the visitor's pass first."

Sam nodded. "Yeah but there are two passes. Take the other one and go on back there. Let him realize he's taken too much of the visiting time. Hell, I'm surprised you haven't already."

Jules crossed the hallway to the wall he was propped against and leaned against it as well. She folded her arms across her chest. "If the situation was different, I would have. There's no way in hell I'd let him even attempt this kind of intimidation shit. But it's not just me. The doctor was pretty clear that the last thing Al needs is stress. You've seen the two of us in a room together today. If I go back there, especially if I go back there and try to unseat him from a place he thinks he alone deserves to be, then there's going to be stress. Maybe even a little ass whooping as well. I can't do that to Al though. I can't risk him."

Sam understood what she was saying and he knew the dilemma she was facing. "Jules, I know you are worried about Al. Believe me, I get that you don't want to jeopardize his safety. As much as I think he's the biggest bastard that ever walked the planet, I don't think Barry does either. I know if you go back there, you aren't going to start something that will upset Al. If it'll make you feel better, when you get back there, explain the situation to the nurse. I'm sure it's not the first time she's had to deal with tense family dynamics, and she'll know how to handle things so that Al doesn't know there's a problem. Besides, you know if Al could choose, you're the one he'd rather have back there."

Jules frowned and nodded. "Yeah, okay. I'll be back soon."

She took the pass from the reception desk and made her way down the hall to where the ICU beds were set up. The nurse who'd had to run her out of the room earlier was sitting at the desk. The RN gave Jules a slight nod of acknowledgement, recognizing her from earlier. Jules took a deep breath. She could do this. Barry didn't matter. If he wouldn't leave and give her some time alone with Al, then she would act like he wasn't even there.

As she walked toward Al's cubicle, she could see Barry sitting next to the bed. His head was bowed and resting on his hands. He was talking to an unconscious Al and as she got closer, she could even hear his words.

"How Dad? How did things get to this point? I never meant for you to be hurt. Never."

Was he talking about the betrayal Al had felt when he'd realized what his son was capable of or was he talking about now? She'd vouched for him to Donna earlier, telling her that Barry wouldn't have had anything to do with the shooting. Had she spoken too soon? After all, she once swore to Ed that Barry would never hurt her and then he did. Or was she letting her feelings for him cloud her common sense. Her eyes narrowed as she stepped into the cubicle.

"We're supposed to share the time, remember?" She kept her voice low and even. He could be just someone she passed on the street who'd stopped to ask her the time.

Barry didn't look up from where he'd been intently looking at his father. "Pardon me if my focus is on spending as much time with my father as I can given the circumstances. Watching a clock isn't exactly on my list of things to do right now. But I guess since you're here now I'll have to give you the time."

He knew how to get under her skin, that was for sure. He always had, although when they'd first met up until she realized what he'd done, it had been in a good way. Now it was just irritating. "Yeah, well, Al's my friend. I care about him and how he's doing."

Barry joined her at the door, keeping his voice low so it didn't carry over to the bed. "And he's my dad. Look, I'm sorry if you think I was trying to monopolize all the time and prevent you from seeing him. To be honest, I didn't even think about you at all. The only thing I can think about is that my father is lying unconscious in that bed and he might not ever wake up. Can you blame me for wanting to spend as much time as possible with him? It's bad enough that I've got to leave tomorrow morning before the sun even rises to go to a meeting out of town and won't be back until late tomorrow night so I'll miss all of the visiting times tomorrow."

Jules narrowed her eyes, studying him intently. He was so smooth that she couldn't tell if he was just laying on a guilt trip trying to make her feel bad or if he were telling the truth. There was a sincerity in his eyes though that not even Barry could fake. She frowned. "Give me one minute with him, okay? Then I'll leave and I won't fight you for a share of the final visiting time tonight either."

Barry nodded and stepped to one side, giving her a wide berth to enter the cubicle alone. She crossed to the bed and gave Al's limp hand a squeeze. Then she leaned down to kiss his cheek.

"Hey there, Old Man. I'm not deserting you; you know that. I might not be rushing back here tonight but that doesn't mean I'm not thinking about you or worrying. So no giving the nurses a hard time tonight, got it? You do and I'll give you a hard time once you can fully appreciate it. And you know I'm capable of doing it, so there."

With one last squeeze of his hand and a glance at the monitors as if to reassure herself that he seemed to be holding his own, Jules left the bed and returned to where Barry was still standing in the door. "I'll give you tonight with him but you better not be screwing me in order to keep me out."

"Trust me when I tell you that you don't even factor into my thoughts right now. I know you feel like I have no right to ask you for any favors but I'm going to ask for one anyway. I will be leaving my cell number with the nurse when I leave tonight. Will you make sure I get a call if Dad's condition changes any?"

Her own feelings toward Barry made her want to tell him to go to hell; that he'd forfeited any right to know anything about Al when he'd gone against everything his father held as important. But she as she glanced back toward where Al was lying so helplessly in that hospital bed, she knew she couldn't do that. Al might not like what Barry had done or become but she knew deep down he still loved his son. She nodded. "You have my word."

Without saying anything else or waiting to see if Barry offered his thanks, Jules turned around and walked back out to the nurse's desk. She signaled Al's nurse over and gave the woman her cell phone number, Sam's cell number, and the home phone and requested that she be called if there was any change at all. Recognizing Jules's name from Al's medical proxy, the nurse promised.

Confident that she would know immediately if anything changed with Al, Jules left the ICU area. Sam was still waiting for her in the hallway. He seemed surprised to see her return so soon but he immediately stepped forward to give her a hug.

"Everything okay?"

She gave a half shrug. "Yeah, it's fine. You ready to go get something to eat?"

Sam nodded, watching her carefully. Yeah, she'd promised that after the visitation time, they would leave the hospital to get something to eat but he hadn't really expected her to actually follow through. He knew she was worried about Al. He also knew that when she was worried about something or someone, that worry took precedence over everything else, including her own needs. He'd expected to practically have to pick her up and carry her out of the hospital to get her to take a break. He was glad that it wasn't going to come to that, because he knew it wouldn't have been easy or pretty. Still, he worried.

As they started toward the elevator, he glanced back toward ICU. He was worried about the fact that she hadn't stayed but a few minutes and more importantly, that Barry hadn't come out before her. His jaw rocked. "Did he give you a hard time about seeing Al?"

She shook her head and explained Barry's request. Sam couldn't help but wonder if Barry was simply playing on Jules's sympathy but he didn't say so. Jules was a good judge of character; if she trusted he was telling the truth then that was good enough for him. In the elevator, Jules leaned against him tiredly as they waited for the car to slowly make its way to the lobby floor. She only half paid attention to the odd looks she received from other people

It was only after they reached Sam's car and she was waiting for him to unlock the doors that she looked down at her clothes and realized just what a sight she was at the moment. The bloodstained shirt alone would be enough to raise a few eyebrows and she bet the rest of her didn't look much better after the long and trying day. Once she was settled in the passenger side with her seatbelt on, she glanced over at Sam.

"Think maybe we can just go through a drive-thru somewhere and take our food home to eat?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah, are you sure that's what you want to do?"

"No, but I think it's better than having someone at a restaurant call 9-1-1 thinking I'm bleeding out or something. Seriously, it's fine. Pick up whatever sounds good to you. I'm so hungry, I'll eat just about anything and then all I really want to do is take a hot shower, change into something comfortable and curl up on the couch with you until it's time for bed."

He reached over and squeezed her hand. "Sounds like a plan to me."

As he pulled out onto the street, neither he nor Jules notices a dark sedan start to follow them.

- FP - FP - FP -

_Jules wished she knew what was causing that annoying beeping. Whatever it was, it was making it hard to sleep. Her eyes and entire body felt too heavy to do anything but sleep but she couldn't ignore that beeping. She couldn't think of anything in her house that would make that kind of noise but she couldn't figure out what it could be. _

_Different sensations washed over her as she woke. Her entire body felt sore but that wasn't anything new after a well fought fight. That she could understand but she couldn't explain why it felt like a ton of weights was pulling on her. She remembered Barry bringing her home after the fight and that he'd left not long after. She remembered feeling really tired and out of it but chalking it up to the disastrous fight. She remembered pretty much crawling over to her bag to get a bottle of water only to find there wasn't any water in the bag at all. No water because she thought that Barry…No, it couldn't be. He wouldn't hurt her._

_The incessant beeping got louder and faster and Jules just wanted to scream for it to stop or else find the culprit that was making the noise in the first place and sling it across the room until it wasn't able to give the slightest beep. She groaned as the noise hurt her pounding head._

"_Jules?" It was Ed's unmistakable voice but Jules couldn't quite force her eyes open to confirm. She heard the scrape of a chair and then his voice again, this time a little louder. "Dr. Griffin, she's starting to wake up." Then he walked back toward her. How was it that she'd never noticed how loud he walked? He was a sniper, known for his stealth but currently he sounded like an elephant thudding across the room._

_She felt his larger hand grip hers and give it a squeeze. "Come on, Jules, open those eyes."_

_She would if someone could remove the weights that held them down. Was this some sort of challenge to get back in the good graces of the team? She concentrated and slowly forced her eye lids open. At first Ed's face was all blurry but then he eventually came into focus. Though his expression was usually impassive and hard to read, she was pretty sure he looked concerned. Totally different from the cold anger she'd seen the last time she'd been in a room with him. It was more like after her first kill shot and he'd stayed behind to check on her not only to see how she was doing but to gently question her about Wordy's concerns she'd been beaten. The dichotomy of the two extremes was not lost on her. _

_She groaned and tried to lift her hand but it felt even heavier than her eyelids. "Wh…where…am…I?" Her throat was dry and it was hard to force the words out of her mouth. _

_Ed operated the controls on the bed so that the head was almost completely raised and then held a cup of water with a straw to her lips. She drank greedily and emptied the cup quickly. She leaned her head back on the stretcher. Ed set the empty cup back on the little stand and sat back down. _

"_Emerge at St. Simons." He replied answering her question. "You gave me quite a scare, you know. You wouldn't answer your door and when I looked through the window I could see you lying on the floor unconscious. I kicked the door open to get to you; I'm afraid it's going to need some serious repair. Your pulse was so slow I didn't want to wait for an ambulance to arrive. I just put you in my car and raced here."_

_The doctor stepped into the cubicle. Before he even spoke he looked at the monitors beside the bed. It was then that Jules realized they were responsible for the beeping that had annoyed her. She also looked up at the wavy lines that represented her heart rhythms. She didn't know what they meant but the doctor didn't seem alarmed by what he saw. He smiled at her. "Well, Constable Callaghan, welcome back. As I heard Constable Lane tell you, your pulse was quite slow when you were first brought in but it seems much better now. How do you feel?"_

"_My head hurts and seems foggy. Everything just feels too heavy."_

_The doctor nodded. "I'm not surprised. Don't worry, that feeling will fade soon." He glanced at Ed. "Constable Lane, how about you waiting outside while Constable Callaghan and I talk."_

_Ed frowned. He recognized that despite the wording, the doctor hadn't made it a question but a command. "I'm a police officer."_

_The doctor nodded. "I know but right now there's nothing to indicate that there's a need for a police report to be filed. If that changes, I'll let you know. However, for now, I have to protect my patient's confidentiality. Please, if you'll go to the waiting room, I'll have a nurse let you know when you can come back."_

_Ed looked like he wanted to protest some more but stood instead. He looked at Jules. "You and I need to have a long talk once I get back."_

_Jules waited until she was sure Ed was out of earshot before focusing on the doctor. "I was drugged wasn't I?"_

_He nodded. "I'm afraid so. I got the toxicology report back on the blood samples we took when you were first brought in. Quite a cocktail we found. I want to admit you overnight to make sure the drugs completely leave your system but I think you'll make a full recovery."_

_Spending the night in the hospital wasn't high on her list of fun things to do but she knew better than to argue. She doubted she'd be able to walk out on her own power as it was. Besides, if Ed couldn't win an argument with the doctor, she was pretty sure she wouldn't have a chance either. "Cocktail?"_

_She couldn't help but remember that Greg had used the same word to describe the mix of drugs indicated by the drug test that had initially caused her problems. Barry was a pharmaceutical rep and had knowledge and access to all kinds of drugs. Did this further implicate him? Her stomach turned and she wanted to throw up._

_The doctor looked grim. "I'm afraid you aren't the first young woman to be brought into my ER with your symptoms. Usually the tox report shows evidence of Rohypnol, GHB, or some other common date rape drug. I thought for sure that was what I would find when your report came back but I was wrong. The combinations of drugs would produce similar effects though. So I need to ask you, do you have any idea who could have drugged you or how?"_

"_I think my water bottles were spiked with something tonight. That's how I was drugged." She blurted out. She wasn't ready to outright accuse Barry until she was a little more sure but she knew the doctor needed to know the as much as she could tell him._

_The doctor made a notation on his chart and then looked at her. "Bottles, huh? That would explain the high concentration still showing up in your blood. Way too high. If you weren't in such great shape, I'm not sure you would have survived."_

_She thought about the number of times during the evening that Barry had either tried to convince her not to drink more of the water or to quit the fight all together. Why would he drug her? She trusted him. She wasn't ready to say she loved him, wasn't sure she'd ever be ready to say that even if she did find out he was innocent, but she did trust him not to hurt her. _

"_Constable Callaghan, I hope you realize that I have to ask this question. Would you consent to having a sexual assault exam performed? Given the nature of the drugs we found in your system and their similarities to ones used for date rape, I think it would be a good idea."_

_Jules shook her head vehemently. "No, it's not necessary. Nothing like that happened to me."_

_The doctor frowned. He knew women in her position, especially female officers who were more accustomed to protecting others than needing protecting, found it hard to believe something so vile and degrading could happen to them without them knowing it. Having to question those beliefs in his patients was his least favorite aspect of the job. "Are you sure? Someone went to a lot of trouble to drug you; he had to have had a reason. I also found bruises and even a couple of cracked ribs when I was examining you earlier."_

_Jules rubbed her hands up and down her arms, glad to see that they didn't feel quite as heavy. She thought about the times she'd lost matches before and how Barry never seemed to want any kind of intimate contact with her afterward. She'd always assumed he'd been ashamed of her performance but perhaps it went beyond that. How many other times had he slipped something into her water before or during a match? She knew some of the fights she lost fair and square just as she knew she'd won many of the matches the same way. But she couldn't deny the evidence in front on her - her own body's reaction to the drugs she'd been given - that this wasn't an isolated occurrence. How clueless had she been?_

"_The bruises and cracked ribs came from a tournament fight I was in earlier." She wasn't going to shed tears over this. She was too strong for that. She lifted her chin and looked the doctor straight in the eye. "I know the reason why I was drugged and it wasn't for sex. Let me guess, there's nothing illegal about any of the drugs the toxicology report shows." _

"_No, I'm afraid not. And unfortunately there's not much that can be done about the actual act of drugging you. Though I expect you know that better than I do. But if he took advantage of you in some way while you were drugged…"_

"_He didn't. I'm afraid his actions, while certainly scummy, weren't criminal. I think he made sure of that. You said I should recover fully?"_

"_I think so. You may be overly tired for a few days and you may have trouble concentrating or maybe even remembering things but nothing that should cause lasting problems. The cracked ribs will probably bother you more than anything."_

_Been there, done that. "Yeah, I'm all too familiar with dealing with bruised and cracked ribs. I know what to do for those."_

"_Okay, I'm going to go arrange to have you moved upstairs. I'll let your friend know he can come back again. If you are sure there wasn't a sexual assault then I have no reason to file a police report. It'll be up to you what you want to tell him."_

_Jules nodded but she really wanted to ask him to not let Ed back in. She knew he was going to question her about what had happened and she didn't know if she had the energy for that tonight. But she wasn't one to run from a battle so she waited for Ed to come back in. _

_His expression was unreadable when he re-entered the cubicle. He once again pulled his chair up to the stretcher. She could see the questions just ready to roll off his tongue but she beat him to the punch. _

"_What were you even doing at my house tonight?" She realized she sounded way more abrasive than she probably needed to given the condition he'd found her in but her head was hurting too much to think about being tactful. Besides, didn't they say the best defense was a good offense?_

"_My brother called me. He was at the tournament tonight and saw your fight. Said you looked like you could barely walk and were pretty out of it. Said he was afraid you'd been hurt pretty badly and thought I should probably check on you. Roy isn't one to get concerned about things like that ordinarily so I took him pretty seriously. I tried to call but when it went to your voice mail, I thought maybe I should just drive by and check on you personally. I'm glad I did. What happened?"_

_Jules frowned. He sounded more concerned than accusatory but she couldn't help but remember the day he and Greg had called her into the briefing room to accuse her of taking drugs. She folded her arms across her chest and closed her eyes. The lights in the cubicle weren't helping her headache any. "What do you think happened?"_

"_You're pretty banged up but even though it looks worse than anything else I've seen out of you, it doesn't look like you were hurt bad enough to account for your unconscious state or your slow pulse. If I had to guess - and since Dr. Griffin has stuck to his guns about patient confidentiality, that's all I have - I'd say it looked like an overdose."_

_Even though he was absolutely correct, his words cut her straight to the quick. She'd never been one to put much stock in what someone thought of her. She was who she was and if someone didn't like that then it was his loss not hers. It was different with Team One though. She'd worked hard to earn her place on the team and she wanted her teammates' respect. She needed them to trust that she had their backs just as she needed to trust them to have hers. To know that Ed, someone she had respected and liked from the moment she'd met him at the recruitment trials, thought that she would use drugs hurt her almost as much as her realization that it had to have been Barry who had slipped the drugs into her water. She opened her eyes and turned to look him directly in his. "Right, it has to be that because you think I'm some sort of be drug user. Let me guess, you're going to get some sort of official request for my toxicology report so you and Sarge can officially suspend me and kick me off the team."_

"_Jules…"_

"_No, go ahead and do what you have to do. Yeah, the report is going to show that I had drugs in my system. But I didn't willingly take anything, not this time and not the last time either. I was drugged without my knowledge and against my will. Not that I guess that really matters to you since you just seem to want a reason to nail my ass to the wall."_

"_Jules…"_

_A nurse pulled the curtain open. There was an orderly with her. "Ms. Callaghan, we're going to move you upstairs now."_

_Ed stood and reached out to take Jules's hand. However both were clenched in tight fists as they were crossed across her chest and she didn't seem inclined to unfurl them to let him. He sighed, all but ignoring the nurse and orderly. "Jules, I haven't told Greg or anyone on the team anything about tonight. I was waiting until I knew more before I called him."_

"_Whatever. Go ahead and call him and do what you've got to do. I really don't want to talk about it anymore tonight. My head and ribs are killing me and all I want to do is sleep."_

_He bowed his head but nodded. "Fine, that's probably what you need to do. Do what they tell you to do and get some rest. But I will be back in the morning and we will talk about this more."_

_Jules nodded wearily. She once more closed her eyes and moved one of her arms up to cover them completely. She could feel the tears forming and knew she didn't have the strength or energy to fight them any more than she had to fight Ed. She could hear him leave the room. She said nothing to the orderly who unlocked the gurney to wheel her to her room. _

_She couldn't help but feel her career was over. Not even Barry's apparent betrayal hurt as badly as that fear._


	11. Chapter 11

Author's Notes: Again I have to apologize for the long delays. Life is kicking my rear end right now. Weeknights I don't get much done as far as writing so I have to depend on the weekends. They can get busy as well. I promise I'm going to finish all of my Flashpoint stories; it just might take a while to get something posted. Please be patient with me and I hope they are worth the wait.

Disclaimer: The show Flashpoint and its characters were created by Mark Ellis and Stephanie Morgenstern and belong to them and the networks who air the episodes. Since the show has ended, our only way of getting new Flashpoint is through fan fiction. This story is my attempt to help fill the void, and the only profit I make is the warm fuzzy feeling reviews give me. Anything that does not come directly from the show is my own creation and should not be used without my permission.

What's Past is Now Present

Chapter 11

_She should be sleeping. The nurse had made the suggestion right after Jules had been settled into her hospital room for the night. After checking her vitals and going over her chart thoroughly, the nurse on duty had stated that sleep was the best medicine and that Jules should take advantage of having a room to herself while it lasted. Her body seconded the suggestion. While she no longer felt like her limbs were completely weighed down, they still didn't want to move with their normal ease. Even her eyelids agreed that sleep was called for. Almost of their own accord, they kept inching downward until her eyes were completely closed, Sleep should have naturally followed. Should have but each time she started to drift off, her mind would kick into high gear and sleep was impossible. _

_How could Barry have done this to her? How could she have not seen what was happening before it got this bad? How would she convince Ed and Sarge that she still deserved her spot on the team? If they were that quick to believe the worst about her, did she still want to be a part of Team One?_

_She only had a clear answer for one of the questions that haunted her. The last one. Yes, she wanted her spot on the team. She wanted it more than anything, perhaps more now than when she'd first decided to put her name in the running. Given the situation, she knew Sarge and Ed didn't really have much choice in their actions. She couldn't blame them for reacting to the situation as they had, no matter how much it hurt. Whatever it took to convince them she hadn't let them down, that she hadn't betrayed the faith they'd put in her when they'd selected her, she would have to do it. Failure wasn't an option._

_Another thing that was keeping her awake was a little bit of dread. Even though it was late, she kept expecting someone to come in her hospital door. She didn't think Ed would come back after she'd asked him to leave but she had a feeling it was only a matter of time before Sarge appeared. Or Barry. She didn't know which one she dreaded seeing more. One she had to convince and one she had to confront. She wasn't sure she was up to doing either adequately, not tonight, not until her mind allowed her body the rest it needed._

_She stiffened as she heard someone pause outside her door. She contemplated feigning sleep as whoever was on the other side tapped lightly on the door. She quickly dismissed the idea; she wasn't one to take the cowardly way out of a situation no matter how tempting it was. The door eased open and Jules relaxed as a familiar red bill of a baseball cap appeared around the edge. By the time Al had stepped fully into the room, she had a soft smile on her face even though the situation had her wanting to do anything but. _

_Once he was fully into the room, Al let the door close behind him. He reached up, removed his ball cap, and ran his hand through his grayish-white hair. Instead of returning the hat to his head, he just held it, almost wringing it in his hands nervously. He cocked his head to the side and regarded her carefully. "Hey there, Sass. I hope you don't mind me dropping in like this."_

_The truth was she couldn't think of anyone else she'd rather have standing in her hospital room right then. No doubt she'd felt all alone since she'd regained consciousness, even when Ed had been at her side. Al's presence took away that loneliness almost immediately. She felt calmer too. This wouldn't be a battle. "Of course not, Old Man. Although, I'm curious as to how you found me."_

_Al chuckled and crossed over to the bed so he could plant a kiss on the top of her head. Then he pulled a chair close so he could sit down. His hat was once more rakishly atop his head. "Yeah, well, it wasn't like you called to let me know. I had to do some serious hunting." When Jules raised an eyebrow as if questioning him further, he continued. "Niko came by the gym about the time the repairman was finishing up. He told me that your bout hadn't gone well and that he was worried you'd gotten seriously hurt. I told him you were more than capable of taking care of yourself but that I'd stop by and check on you just the same. Imagine my surprise when I got to your house and found an officer guarding the place because your door had been kicked in. He explained you'd been rushed to the hospital by one of your teammates and after that it didn't take much to track you down." _

_She vaguely remembered Ed telling her he'd broken down her door to get to her. She guessed he'd been serious about it. Part of her was glad he'd gotten someone to watch over her house until the door could be fixed but another part of her hated that work had been dragged into this whole mess. She chewed on her bottom lip. "Yeah, well…" She trailed off not knowing what else to say._

_Al eyed her carefully as if trying to ascertain the full extent of her injuries just by looking at her. "How bad, Sass? Give it to me straight so I know exactly how badly I need to lay into my son."_

_Jules's eyes widened, no longer weighed down by the need for sleep. Al knew what Barry had done? How? "What?… How?" _

_Al interrupted her sputtered questions. "Don't try to defend him, Sass. There's no excuse. If Niko could tell you were hurt then so should have Barry. He should have been the one to bring you here not one of your teammates. How come he just left you at home without making sure you were okay? He knows better than that. There's no excuse. He may be a grown man and bigger than me but I'm still his dad and I can still take him over my knee if I have to. I don't mind tellin' ya so."_

_Jules leaned her head back against the bed and now allowed her eyes to close once more. Sleep wasn't even an option now. So Al was blaming Barry for not treating her injuries during the fight seriously. He didn't know about the drugs. Should she tell him? Did she have a right to accuse his son of such a heinous act without proof? At the same time, how could she lie to him after all he'd done for her? "Al, I wasn't brought to the hospital because of the fight itself. Yeah, I got pretty banged up but nothing I can't handle."_

_Al frowned and shook his head. "Then why are you here?"_

_She couldn't accuse Barry, not without confronting him first herself, but she couldn't withhold the truth either. "Ed found me passed out on the floor of my living room. I'd been drugged again. This time with a cocktail of drugs that made me unable to fight well instead of ones that made me fight better. They were put in my water bottles."_

_Perhaps Al could come up with a way it could have happened that wouldn't implicate Barry. She couldn't deny that Barry seemed the best suspect but she still didn't want to believe he was capable of hurting her._

_Instead, Al rose and went to look out the hospital window, staring into the night. Again his hat was pulled off his head and, without looking at him, Jules knew he was twisting it in his hands. He shook his head. "You bring your own water bottles to every match. You keep them in your gym bag. No one gets close to your stuff but you, me, and Barry. I know you wouldn't dope your own water and I know I didn't do it." _

_He turned back to look at her, suddenly looking much older than he actually was. Uncharacteristic tears filled his eyes. "I don't want to think my son would do this but there's no one else it could have been. I had a bad feeling when you first told me about the drug test but I didn't want to say anything. I didn't want to be right. I should have done more, should have made sure you weren't further hurt. I'm sorry. When I get my hands on him…"_

_A couple of her own tears slipped silently down her cheeks. She couldn't stand to see him look so dejected. She wanted to say something to defend Barry, not because she believed he was innocent but because it looked like Al was taking the whole blame on himself. Besides, there was something about hearing someone else voice her fears that made them seem much larger and scarier. "Why would he do it? He wouldn't hurt me."_

_Al returned to the bed but sat on the edge right next to her instead of the chair. Tossing his hat onto the empty chair seat, he took her hand in his and gave it a comforting squeeze. "People have done stupider things for greed. You know that. I told Barry to stay away from the gambling aspect of the business. Sure, some of it's innocent, clean fun but too much of it is a dangerous, ugly world. I didn't want him getting caught up in it. I thought I'd taught him that. Damn him. It's bad enough that he could get caught up in it but to pull you unwittingly in as well? No excuse. I can tell you one thing. I'm not going to let him get away with it. No sirree. If he wants to be a stupid idiot and throw his life away, then I can't do much about it even if I don't like it. But he's not going to hurt you, not going to ruin your career because he's a greedy SOB."_

_Jules stared at Al as he wound down his tirade. There was no way she could ever tell him or anyone else what his unwavering support meant to her. He'd immediately taken her side without hesitation and without question against his own son. Not even her own teammates had given her that. A few more tears slipped down her cheeks and she couldn't even really tell why she was crying. _

_Al reached out and wiped them away. "Aw Sass, don't cry. Listen to me. Here I am running off at the mouth about Barry when I should be asking if you are okay. I mean, obviously you aren't okay if they admitted you to the hospital but are you okay? What did the doctor say?"_

_Jules sniffled. "Could have been worse. From what the doctor said, it was a pretty hefty overdose of a combination of drugs. I think I scared Ed pretty bad when he saw me sprawled on the floor; enough so that he busted down my door. I'm going to be fine though. I just have to give the drugs a chance to get out of my system."_

_Al nodded and stood. He adjusted her blanket so that it was pulled almost all the way up to her chin and then kissed her forehead. "Then you should probably get some sleep. Close those cute brown eyes of yours and rest. I'm going to be right here. Anyone comes trying to give you a hard time tonight will have to get through me and I think we both know what a hard time they'd have doing that."_

_Despite herself, Jules chuckled. Al might be past his prime fighting age but she knew he was still one tough guy. Normally she'd bristle at the implication that she needed protecting but for right then, it felt nice. Pulling her arm free of the blanket, she reached out and grabbed his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Thanks, Al. I appreciate it but you can't sleep in that chair all night."_

_Al snorted derisively. "Says who? I might be old but I'm not that old. I've slept in worse places, I don't mind telling you. This is nothing. Let me do this for you, Sass. It'll make me feel better."_

_Jules nodded and gave his hand a tug, pulling him down closer to her. She kissed his cheek. "I love you, Old Man."_

_Al grinned and nodded. "Love you too, Sass. Like you were my own."_

- FP - FP - FP -

Jules stepped into the ICU cubicle. Nothing seemed to have changed in the overnight hours since she'd last been in to visit Al. The on duty nurse she'd talked to when she'd first arrived had said that was actually a good thing. At this point in his recovery, no change was preferable to any kind of down turn he could have experienced. She'd assured Jules that while he was still considered critical, Al seemed to be holding his own. They couldn't ask for much more.

She leaned down and kissed his cheek gently and then placed her hand over the bandaged area of his chest where his heart was. She could have looked at the monitors to see the reassuring squiggle that indicated that his heart was beating but she needed to feel it beneath her hand instead. Satisfied, she stepped back and pulled a stool up close to the bed so she could sit down. She hadn't slept well during the night, tossing and turning as if afraid she wouldn't hear the phone ring if the hospital called. The lack of sleep had left her tired but she'd refused Sam's suggestion that she call in and take the day off. Instead, they'd taken separate vehicles so he could go directly in to work and she could stop off at the hospital to check on Al. Sarge had assured her the night before that it wouldn't be the end of the world if she skipped the pre-shift workout in order to check on her friend.

She appreciated his understanding. In her years at SRU, despite the rocky times that had been caused by Barry during her first year, she'd discovered a family in her team. A familiar bond as strong if not stronger than the one she shared with her father and brothers. A bond she also shared with the man lying in front of her now.

"Okay, Old Man, don't you think you've been sleeping on the job too much now? Time to get your ass in gear and wake up. I get you might want to milk all the sympathy you can get but wouldn't you like to be awake to appreciate it? I know you could pour on the charm to these nurses and have them eating out of your hands in no time. Or you could be your usual stubborn cantankerous self and tell the doctors everything they did wrong and how they could have done it better. Either would be preferable to seeing you just lying there."

She wanted him to open his eyes and argue with her. Wanted him to respond in some way but there was no change. She frowned and reached out and took his hand in her own. She held it tightly as if she could transfer some of her own strength over to him. She sighed. "Sam sends his best. We have to work today, keep the peace and all. Just because I'm not down the hall in the waiting room doesn't mean I'm not thinking about you. If I thought you needed me here, I'd take as many days off as I needed to so I wasn't far away. The nurses have promised to call me if you need me and Sarge has promised to let me come running back if they do. That doesn't mean you have to pull some sort of stunt to test me, you hear me? I'd much rather you concentrate on getting better so when I do come back later for visitation times, you can give me a hard time about worrying too much."

Al's facial muscles didn't so much as twitch in response to her words. She hadn't expected him to respond, at least not rationally. However a part of her couldn't help but feel disappointed that he was still so fully unconscious. The doctor had told her the day before that they were keeping him sedated to give him the best chance of recovering but that knowledge didn't make it any easier to see him looking so still.

Jules remained a little longer. Even if Al wasn't aware of her presence she couldn't bring herself to leave. She contented herself with sitting beside the bed and clutching his limp hand in her own which for the first time since she'd met him seemed stronger than his. The silence of the cubicle was broken only by the beeps of the various machines hooked to Al.

Jules lost herself in the quiet. She didn't think about passing time, about work that was waiting for her, or even about who might have fired the shots that had put Al in this bed in the first place. For a few minutes at least, the only thing that mattered was taking comfort in the knowledge that despite the odds against him, Al was still alive and holding his own.

When the nurse stepped into the cubicle to announce that visitation time was over, Jules stood reluctantly. She leaned over her friend and kissed his cheek. "Okay, Old Man. I'm heading to work now but I'll be back at the next visitation time unless we get a hot call. If you need me though, I'll be here; you know that. Just because I said that though doesn't mean you have to test me on it. If you won't stay strong and okay for me then do it for Sam. You know he's probably the only person who worries about me more than you do and he'll be freaking out with worry if I have to rush back here because something's happened to you. He's already been freaking out majorly since he got the call yesterday that you'd been shot. I'd hate to worry him any more than was absolutely necessary. So, help me out with that, okay?"

Of course there was no response, not that Jules really expected one. She left the cubicle without another word but stopped at the nurses' station. Once again, she made sure the nurse in charge of Al's care had every number possible for her. She insisted that the nurse call if there was any change, good or bad. She also made sure to let the nurse know that it was okay to call Winnie at the station if Jules wasn't able to answer her cell phone. The nurse promised and Jules left the ICU area.

She reached for her phone as soon as she was clear of the special unit. Before dialing the number she knew so well, she checked her watch. Pre-shift workout should still be going on but she also knew Sam would have his phone handy. She punched in his number and sure enough Sam's warm, rich voice filled her ear before the phone rang more than a couple of times.

"_Hey there. Everything okay?"_

"Yeah, visitation just ended so I'm heading to the station now. I should be there in about thirty. Tell Sarge again for me how grateful I am that he let me miss out on the workout so I could visit with Al but that I'll be there for the briefing."

"_I think you made that clear when you talked to him last night but I'll remind him. Be careful."_

"Always am. I'll be there soon. Love you."

"_Love you too." _If his voice got a little lower when he said those three words, she didn't feel bad. She knew he ran the risk of getting ribbed by the rest of the guys any time he expressed his feelings for her in front of them but risk aside, wouldn't not say the words. Besides, there was something about that almost husky tone he'd get when he spoke softly that sent a shiver of desire running down her spine. It was like his words were for her ears only, which was how it should be anyway.

She replaced the phone in her purse and opened the stairwell door. Taking the elevator might be quicker but the stairs would be better for her in lieu of the workout she was missing. The exercise would make her feel less guilty about Sarge's generosity. She'd made her way down one flight of stairs when she suddenly heard the pounding of running feet behind her.

Without stopping, she turned her head to see who was coming. Since it was a hospital she knew it could be a doctor rushing to an emergency on another floor and wanted to get out of the way if necessary. Instead she caught a glimpse of masked figures just before she was grabbed. Before she could fight back, she was shoved brutally against the wall. Stars swam in front of her vision as her head made sharp contact with the sheet rock. Momentarily disoriented, she sank to her knees, still surrounded by her attackers.

- FP - FP - FP -

Author's Note 2: I know, this chapter is a little on the short side for me but I wanted to be able to get something posted and this seemed like a cruel place to stop. Just please don't throw too many tomatoes or potatoes at me.


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